The Fullmetal Alchemist & the Shikon Jewel
by notshorty329
Summary: Ed,Roy,& their little sisters jump down a well behind HQ,winding up in the feudal era,& forming up with the Inu team. Emotions run high,dark pasts haunt some,betrayal occurs,lovers come togther,& bonds break by death,but is one jewel worth it all?
1. Yesterday's Loss

Caroline: Wow I'm finally posting this. Yay me! Alrighty then... lets get this over with. I'm postin 2 chapters today... MAYBE 3... Multitalented, huh?

Jordan: Uhh...no. ANYONE can post 3 chapters.

Caroline:...Whatever... Anyways pleaz R&R so I'll feel special...

Jordan: Oh BELIEVE me. If there's anything you are, you're 'SPECIAL.'

Caroline: Shaddup.

Jordan:...Lets just get this over with.

Caroline: Fine...now lets make this stupid little thing.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own FMA OR InuYasha. Sadly I only have enough dear money in my wallet to own a sad little half-eaten box of pocky...

Chapter 1: Yesterday's Loss

Edward Elric stared at the sky above him, a few wisps of blonde hair hanging over his eyes.

'I wonder if I should tell them,' he thought. 'They have a right to know- they're looking for it too.' He glanced at his two younger siblings- Alphonse Elric, clad in armor, & Caroline Elric, clad in her green & black attire. 'They committed the worst possible sin, as well as I...'

He looked back to the sky as he remembered that night...

"Brother! Brother! Please!"

Ed could do nothing but scream & reach helplessly for his brother's hand as the power of alchemy took Al's body from the Earth, & when that was over, Ed would have to deal with his own pain of losing his left leg & sacrificing his right arm to save his brother's soul. That night was filled with the torment & horror of defying the laws of equivalent exchange & learning… The Truth...

He looked at Al & then at his sister.

'Al & I...we went through all of that for a mother we _knew_ was dead...but...Hoenheim's still alive,' he thought angrily. 'He's not even _dead_ & he let his own daughter go through all of that. I should probably tell her,' he pondered. 'But...I can't. I don't want to. It would hu-'

"Ed?"

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his sister's voice.

"Somethin' wrong?" she asked, her identical green coat flapping in the wind.

Ed stared for a moment, mouth open just a bit, ready to speak the truth, then replied "No...I'm okay."

She gave him an odd look. "Whatever," she said, beginning to turn around. Just when Ed thought she was gone, though, she turned around quickly & sat by him on her knees. "Is it about that thing Mustang said earlier?" she asked quietly.

'Oh crap,' Ed thought. 'She knows.' "Uh..." he asked nervously. "What thing?"

"You know..." she whispered. "That thing he said earlier today."

Ed gulped & sat up. "_That_ thing?"

She nodded. "_That_ thing," she confirmed.

Ed looked guiltily at his shoes as Caroline hugged him. As soon as she let go, she said

"I'm sorry, Ed, but you don't need to get so worked up about it."

Ed looked a bit surprised. "You're sure taking this well," he commented.

"What?" Caroline asked casually. "Mustang calls me short all the time."

Ed fell flat to his back.

"Ed? What's the matter? Did I say somethin' wrong?"

"I think you should have told then, Roy."

Colonel Roy Mustang sighed from his desk & looked up at his little sister. She glared at him from the window, waiting for a reply.

"I'm sorry you think that," he said. "But I'm not their guardian- Ed is."

Jordan thought back to the past. "Well, what about-" she stopped, frowned, & sighed. "Whatever." she replied, walking off.

"Jordan..." the elder Mustang said, making her stop at the door. "Don't you say anything either, got it?"

"Yeah...okay," she said, closing the door & walking off.

Roy stood up & walked over to the window & stared below at the 3 children. It seemed like only a few minutes before there was a knock on the door. He sat back down at his desk. "Come in," he said lazily.

Jordan walked in smiling.

"Oh it's just you," the Colonel said.

"Just consider me a delivery girl, alright?" Jordan said.

"The last time we had a delivery girl it was Barry the Chopper," her brother kidded. "Sure I can trust you?"

Jordan raised an eyebrow & gave him a 'that's-the-worst-joke-I've-ever-heard' look. Roy cleared his throat. "What is it?" he asked.

"Someone wanted me to recite their true feelings for you," Jordan answered sarcastically.

Mustang blushed. "Hawkeye?" he asked.

"No, Armstrong," Jordan replied, as sarcastic as usual. "Anyways, Hawkeye said she thought she saw something crawl into the well yesterday on the way home from work."

Roy raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "And?"

"Well, she warned us to be on the lookout."

The Colonel turned in his chair & glanced out the window once more, then looked back at his sister.

"The Elrics seem to have nothing to do," he said.

"You want them to watch the well?" she asked, understanding perfectly.

He nodded. His sister saluted & walked out.

To be continued...

Caroline: Alright the first chapter is a little boring, I'll admit.. that's why I'm posting the 2nd chapter too! & that's also why I'm not gonna give a chapter preview either!

Jordan:...No one cares.

Caroline: Hate me, love me, either way I'm on your mind.


	2. Tempted

Caroline: Alright then! Told ya Id post again! It just took me a while.. considering I had 2 type & do my profile...Hehe..yea.

Jordan: Lazy ass.

Caroline: Shut up! I dont see _you_ doing anything!

Jordan: I just went 2 Dillards, thankyouverymuch.

Caroline:...well...oh...ok...at least you werent attacked by anything.

Jordan: Whats that supposed to mean?

Caroline: Like an army of midgets or somethin.

Jordan: I had a midget who repeatedly kept calling my cell phone, _Caroline._

Caroline: Yay! You're becoming popular!

Jordan: death glare

Caroline: Hey now, Frodo, don't get short with me.

Jordan: horror struck Shorts...no...not the shorts...the..the...nots the short shorts.

Caroline: Haha you look funny!

Chapter 2: Tempted

"43 bottles of Sake on the wall… 43 bottles of Sake…"

"Hey, Caroline, look who it is," her older blonde brother said.

Ignoring him, almost as if in a trance, she continued.

"Take one down, pass it around. 43-"

Ed sighed. "I don't think she hears us," he replied. "Maybe you should come back later."

"Oh, she'll hear me," Jordan commented, uncrossing her arms. "Ed, have you seen the shrimp?"

Caroline stopped immediately. "Why you..." she began.

"I can't find her anywhere," the older girl continued, smirking. Ed could see she was clearly enjoying this. "I mean, maybe she got lost in between the blades of grass considering how _short _she is."

"Who you callin' a runt so small that she'd have to scream to get the attention of an ant!" Caroline yelled, clenching her fists & jumping up, flinging her coat to the ground.

"Wow, so you're short _and _you're deaf," the older girl shot, the same smirk still pasted onto her face as the youngest Elric threw a fit of yelling, hand motions, &…more yelling.

"You're annoying me," the Mustang sister replied calmly after a few minutes.

"Good!" Caroline yelled.

"Oh yeah?" Caroline was suddenly picked up by the collar & brought to eye level with the older girl. "I wouldn't call pissing me off good…" she said, bringing her fingers to a snapping position. Caroline's eyes flicked to the wristbands with the Flame Alchemy Transmutation Circle on it, then looked the girl back in the eyes. "I might just… you know… have to burn-"

"Don't burn me, please!" the younger girl yelled, pleading. "I don't taste good burnt & all I am is scrawny beef jerky with a hint of blood!"

"Ooh, I like beef jerky," Jordan said psychotically, staring at her like a hunger-crazed wolf. "In that case, I'll just-"

"No!" Caroline yelled, her arms flailing. "I'll drink milk, do paperwork, chores, bow, do anything you want, just don't burn me!"

"Well, I was just kidding but, hell," Jordan said, dropping her. "Alright."

"Nani?" Caroline said. "You were _kidding_!"

Jordan nodded. "Yeah, but there's something a bit more important I gotta tell ya so listen up."

All three Elrics looked to her.

"Okay, Roy hates you guys so-"

"No, whatever gave you that idea?" Caroline asked, then after a received glare from Jordan, saluted nervously.

"So…" Jordan continued. "You guys are gonna watch a well, got it?"

"Watch a _what_!"

Al covered his younger sister's mouth before she could get Jordan any further mad.

"Don't worry," Al said. "We can handle it, right, brother?"

Ed nodded.

"See?" Al said. "If I can handle a cat in my….. uh…." Al stopped nervously.

"Al…" Ed began in a threatening tone. Before the two brothers realized it, Ed & Al were running around in circles, yelling, arguing, & screaming at the top of their lungs.

Caroline sighed & walked over to stand by Jordan.

"Brothers are such a pain in the ass," she said.

Jordan nodded. A silence lasted between the two, then

"So, you comin' or not?"

Caroline looked taken aback. "Wha?"

"You don't know the way to the well, right?" Jordan asked.

"Nope," the Elric replied. "I aint got a clue."

"Well come on," Jordan said. "Lets go, & I'll show you."

The girl started to walk off, but Caroline stopped her.

"Shouldn't we… you know… ask if they wanna come? I don't think they know the way either," she said.

Jordan looked up at Ed & Al, then back down at the girl. "Good point," then in a normal-toned voice, knowing neither brother could hear her, she asked "Hey, Ed, Al, you wanna come?"

No answer. Jordan shrugged & continued walking. Caroline hesitated, but grabbed her coat & ran to catch up nevertheless.

"Hey, Jordan?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Do you… think something's wrong with Ed?" she asked. "It seems like he's… I dunno… hiding something."

Jordan thought for a moment. 'The Philosopher's Stone, no doubt. He hasn't told them yet.'

"Well…" she began, then stopped.

'"_Don't you say anything either, got it?"'_

'Oh yeah,' she remembered. 'That.'

The Elric stared up, wide-eyed & waiting for an answer. Jordan took a breath.

"No… I think he's just fine," she said.

"Oh. Okay." Jordan could tell the girl knew something was wrong, just didn't know _what_.

It was quite a bit later when the two girls reached the clearing. It was on a small little hill, still in Military HQ, surrounded by beautiful trees & all different types of flowers. In the middle of it all sat an old-looking wooden well. The full moon had risen into the sky & it was about 8:00. The girls sat around for a while, waiting to see if Ed & Al would stumble across the clearing. Just when the two were beginning to get worried they heard a

"Al, did you see where they went?"

"No, brother, but they've probably gone off to the well."

There was a silence & Jordan looked at Caroline.

"Boy, your brother sure can yell loud, Caroline," she commented. Then a quieter

"What well?"

"Niisan!" Al scolded. "Pay more attention! The well Jordan mentioned!"

"You mean that bitch went off with my sister without me!"

"Brother, please!"

Jordan sighed & looked at Caroline. The brunette sat contently, her back to the well, her brown eyes gazing over an alchemy book.

"Alright," Jordan said. "Now that I've showed you the way, you'll remember it & won't get lost, right?"

"Yeah, sure," Caroline said, obviously not paying attention.

"Alright, good," Jordan said. "Then go find your brothers & bring em here."

Caroline looked up, her face ridden with horror. "No way, I'll get lost!"

Jordan sighed & slapped her forehead. The raven-haired girl thought for a moment, & then focused her blue eyes back to the Elric sister.

"Alright," she said. "I'll go get em… on _one_ condition."

"Dude, sweet! Waitaminute." Caroline said suspiciously. "What _kind_ of condition?"

"One," the girl answered, putting one finger up, "You stay here & watch the well. & you can't move from _that_ spot."

"Okay..." Caroline said.

"Two," another finger rose.

"Waitjustagoddamnminute!" Caroline yelled. "You said _one_!"

Jordan raised an eyebrow. "_So_? I changed my mind."

"You can't change your mind! I've changed mine!" Caroline immediately jumped up & started over to the bushes. Jordan watched intently as the girl looked uselessly. The Elric then laughed nervously & turned back to Jordan. "Uh…I changed my mind again."

"That's what I thought," Jordan said, "Anyways, two…" she smirked. "You have to do everything you said you'd do earlier if I didn't burn you, got it?"

Caroline glared, hesitated, then mumbled "Fine."

"Okay, so you're gonna stay where?"

"Here."

"Where here?"

"In this spot."

"& not do what?"

"Move."

"Even if you see a lizard?"

"No."

"A penguin?"

"No."

"A muffin? A really hot guy?"

"Aw come on!"

"_What_?"

"Fine."

The Mustang smirked & patted the girl on the head jokingly.

"Good dog of the Military," she said, then took off.

Caroline stared at the sky, the moon, the stars as she laid against the well. & as she watched, she began to wonder what was so dangerous about the well after all…

To be continued...


	3. Disobedient Souls

Caroline: Alright its been a few days...

Jordan: & a few fanfix later...

Caroline: Haha, yes... I've written 2 inu fanfics so.. you know... theyre cute tho. Its InuKag &

Jordan: MirSan!

Caroline: Yes yes.. sonfix... I'm probly gonna put a few chaps in this fanfic l8r with sonfix...

Jordan: Thatll work!

Caroline: Yes but Im quite sad... no ones reviewing except like... 1 person.

Jordan: Aw.. I sorry.

Caroline: Yay! The 1 person who reviewed- You're special!

Jordan: waves little white flag

Caroline: However...I have a great idea... if you are reading this fanfic right now, review pleaz, but on the review... put which OC u like better... u dont have to put why if you don't want to but... tell us whos better!

* * *

Chapter 3

"Dammit," Ed said, pacing around. "Its dark & this sucks. No one's come back _yet. _Iswear,when I see Caroline, I'm gonna kick her ass."

"Ed, that's child abuse!" Al scolded.

"You're right," Ed replied. "I'll just transmute her into a toad."

"Edward, that's evil!" he yelled.

Ed just smirked & drew a Transmutation Circle on the grass & watched the bushes for any sign of movement.

"Just wait till she comes back," he snickered.

Al sighed. Suddenly, there was a sign of movement. A foot stepped through, then a body. Ed wasted no time. He slammed his hands onto the circle.

"Alright, you bakas, lets-"

She never finished before she got covered in ice, all the way up to her knees.

Ed stood up & pointed a finger in her face. "Ha! Lets see you move _now_, Caroline!"

"Brother…"

That's just when Ed realized he wasn't pointing into the face of his dear little sister, but into the face of a very pissed Jordan.

"Heh heh heh," Ed laughed nervously. "Oh boy…" he muttered, knowing just what would await him.

"Edward Elric!" Jordan yelled. "Get me the hell outta this shit!"

Mustang sat at his desk, & suddenly a very bright light shone through the window & a scream that matched Edward's was heard. He sighed, & stood up.

Ed blinked, & his charred body somehow formed into the position of a salute, then quietly answered "Yes mam."

Caroline blinked slowly, then opened her eyes completely as she woke up, giving a quiet "Huh?" as she stared up at the stars & moon.

As she sat up, she saw five figures surrounding her. She screamed & sat up, then stopped herself as she felt a strong headache.

"Oh, good," a girl with black hair ('The Smiley One') (a/n: when I put the 'labels' after names, this is Caroline's thoughts about them.) said. "You're awake."

Caroline growled & put a hand to her head. "You say 'good' & try wakin up to this."

The girl frowned a bit. Caroline sighed, sounding a bit annoyed. How long have I been like this?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Asleep?" another girl ('The girl who's weapon I want to steal right now& run away screaming psychotically. Hey, I should do that.') asked. "About 30 minutes."

"Oh," Caroline replied, putting her hand down.

"Yep," said the smallest figure ('The One who I want to pick up & hug forever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever…').

"Are you feeling quite alright, lady…?" asked another boy ('The One I would gladly give my number to… Wait… do I even _have_ a number?').

Caroline nodded. "Caroline," she replied. "Caroline Elric."

A 'heh' came from a teenage boy ('The grumpy old guy.'). "That's a weird name."

Caroline gave him a death glare, & tried to jump up & attack him, only to be held back by the 'Girl with the awesome weapon' & 'The really cute guy'.

"How rude!" Kagome scolded. "Inuyasha, sit, boy!"

"Ha!" Caroline said, being released by the two. She sat on the ground, smirking. "& you said _my_ name is weird?"

"Shut up, shorty!"

"I am _not_!" She had to be held back again.

"Inuyasha!" the Smiley One yelled. "Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, boy!"

She then gave a 'hmph', then smiled ('What a surprise') "Anyways, I'm Kagome."

"No… you're the Smiley One," Caroline said.

"Ooookay," Kagome said, her eyes shifting nervously.

"You smile a _lot_," Caroline said.

"Umm… is this better?" Kagome asked, frowning.

"No… you look better smiling," she said.

The fox boy jumped into Caroline's arms. "I'm Shippo," he said.

"Haha!" Caroline suddenly started laughing randomly. "That sounds like something else!" 'Haha… Shitto,' she thought.

"You're crazy," Shippo commented.

"No… I'm Caroline."

"Now, now, Shippo," The Cute One said. "Lets not be rude to fair young ladies like this one." Caroline blushed slightly at the comment of fair, & her eye twitched as she thought of the reaction Jordan would give if she heard him say 'young lady.' 'It's happened once & it won't happen again, goddamnit,' she thought. "Hello, Miss Caroline. I'm Miroku the monk."

"Aw…" Caroline looked disappointed. "It should be Miroku the C-" she stopped herself.

"_Yes_?" Miroku asked, sounding somewhat hopeful.

"Calm," the girl next to him answered, giving Miroku an evil glare, then looked at Caroline for a response. Isn't that what you meant?"

Caroline nodded nervously. The girl smiled. "I'm Sango."

"Goddamnit, Caroline," Ed yelled, flinging his coat down to the ground, then stepping on it. "I can't believe this!"

"Brother, do you think she's okay?"

"She better be," Jordan said, clenching her fists. "So I can beat her up when she comes back up."

"Back up from where?"

The three children's eyes went wide with horror at the sound of his voice. They turned with an assortment of exclamations.

"Roy!"

"Mustang-taisa!" (a/n: I like Japanese titles better, so I'll use them whenever the hell I want, thank you very much. & if you don't like it, then deal with it.)

"Mustang, you bastard! Why do you always have to sneak up on us?"

The Colonel looked in Ed's direction at the last comment.

"I don't, Hagane no." (a/n: 'Hagane no' means 'Fullmetal') "& who's coming back up from where?"

All started to either look at the ground or sky, shift eyes, &/or scratch the back of their heads nervously.

"I _said_," Roy's tone began to sound angry. "Who went where?"

It was a few minutes before Jordan spoke up.

"Caroline jumped down the well."

The Taisa blinked. "Did anyone _see _her go down it?"

They all shook their heads.

"Ed & Al were fighting about a cat."

He blinked again. "A _cat_?"

The two brothers laughed nervously. The Flame Alchemist sighed.

"I'll just have to rest that case later. Meanwhile…" he said. "I've got a State Alchemist with unfinished business to attend to. So…"

He began to walk toward the well Jordan had led the Elrics to. Ed jumped in front of his way.

"Hagane no," Roy said. "Out of my way."

"No way, you bastard!" Ed defended. "_I'm _going to be the one getting her out from the bottom of that well, _not you_."

The blonde turned & made his way to it. The Colonel followed.

"Taisa!" he yelled angry.

"You'll need backup," Roy said.

Ed decided not to argue at the moment. "Fine, suit yourself, you baka."

Ed was the first to jump down. Roy turned. Jordan stood by Alphonse. As Roy looked, she began to walk forward.

"Jordan," he ordered. "You stay here."

"_What_?" she said. "No way! I'm going too!"

"No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"Stay here," Roy ordered. "& that's a direct order."

He jumped. Al & Jordan stared for a moment.

"Sorry, Al, but I can't fit you through."

Al looked up, confused by the girl's comment.

"What do you-"

"I'm goin in," she said, walking forward.

"But Colonel Mustang told you not to-"

"Screw it!" she said. "I'm still goin!"

Al only sighed as she jumped down. Meanwhile, Envy watched from the tree above him, with a smirk.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: Well... that worked out nicely, didn't it? 

Jordan: Yeah. It did.

Awkward silence

Jordan/Caroline: I wanna swordfight!

Both smirk

Jordan: So... if u dont review...

Caroline: We'll cut your main arteries!

Jordan: Well... I was kinda thinkin more of 'lets hit em in the head with a wooden sword' but...

Caroline: You mean like that time you hit me in the right arm with a bat?

Jordan: Uh well...

Caroline: **_As hard as you could?_**

Jordan: Gomen-sai.

Caroline: Well... all is said so r&r! & pleaz... tell us who's better!

Jordan: Yeah, yeah! Pyros vote for me!

Caroline: Vote for Pedro!


	4. The Clinically Insane

Caroline: Ok, this is just prove that no one listens to us.

Jordan: Well, we never listen to anyone either.

Caroline: Exactly, & we're damn proof of it too!

Jordan: It just means the people reading this hate us.

Caroline: Apparently so.

Jordan: Maybe we should post a threat.

Caroline: (thinks) Evil smile

Jordan: (sighs) There she goes again.

Caroline: Mwahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahhahahaha!

* * *

Chapter 4: The Clinically Insane

Inuyasha pouted.

"Kagome, that's no fair at all. It's mine & you know it."

Kagome sighed as she handed the cup of Ramen to Caroline, then turned to Inuyasha.

"Oh, Inuyasha, quit acting like such a baby, & get over it. She hasn't eaten all day."

Caroline gave a little sniffle.

"That's right," she lied, even coming up with a childish voice. "I live in the streets & I never get too much to eat… if anything." Sango, Miroku, Shippo, & Kagome looked saddened. Inuyasha just stared indifferently. "I only fell down here in that dark, scary well because I was running from the..." She thought.

'Crap, Caroline. What are you gonna say now? The Military… the Ishbalians… the rats…'

"Because I was running from the mean old demons trying to kill me…" At this point, the girl sat down her noodles & began to cry fake tears. Miroku began to rub her shoulders, trying to comfort her. Shippo came up & hugged her. Kirara came & sat in the girl's lap.

"You poor thing," Sango comforted.

"You liar," Inuyasha replied.

Kagome turned as the girl made her crying sound louder.

"Inuyasha, sit, boy!" she yelled.

As he ate dirt, Kagome looked at the girl. "I bet we can help," she said.

Caroline looked up & wiped the tears away. "Really?" Hope shone in her eyes.

Kagome nodded. "We'll travel to your world & attack those demons, first thing tomorrow, okay?"

Caroline's face fell. Nervous sweat appeared on her forehead. However, no one noticed, as they looked up at Kagome & made their remarks.

"Yes," Miroku said. "Our first priority must be to keep everyone safe."

"& there might even be Shikon shards in her era as well," Sango said hopefully. Kirara meowed.

"I'm up for it!" Shippo said, jumping onto Kagome's shoulder.

"Uh… No, that's fine," Caroline said, waving her hands. "Its just… fine. Nobody's hurting anyone so we're-"

"But…" Kagome looked confused. "You just said you were being chased by a band of demons trying to kill you."

Caroline scratched the back of her head nervously. "So I did…" she stated.

"Are you lying?" Sango asked suspiciously.

Caroline laughed nervously. "Of course not."

"Of course she is," said two familiar voices.

Caroline turned around, horrorstricken. "Hey, its Ed & Colonel Mustsu-"

They glared at her. Caroline gulped before she could finish. The others stared silently as the two advanced on her. 'Two men with a mission,' she thought. 'It can't get much worse, right?'

Just then, something behind them knocked them both out of the way. Looking angrier than both Ed & Roy together, stood Jordan.

Caroline looked at her, wondering if the girl she had grown up with, her almost-sister, her best friend, would go easy on her. A little clock started ticking in her head & when it beeped, the answer was 'No.' The girl stared up, horrorstricken, hoping that maybe, just maybe the others would mistake her for a demon & perhaps…

"What were you thinking?" Jordan yelled.

Caroline screamed as she dodged a flame.

"Jordan, maybe you shouldn't-" Roy stopped when he saw her glare. She turned back to face

"I told you not to move, but what did you do?"

Before Caroline could answer, a fist made completely of fire grabbed the girl by the neck.

"Hey, hold on," Kagome said, running over & grabbing Jordan's shoulder. "She didn't do anything. Some of the demons chased her out of the box she lived in &-"

"Box?" Jordan asked, not sure if she had heard correctly. "She said she lived in a _box_!" She started laughing. Caroline began to laugh, realizing how dumb it sounded, then began choking as the fist squeezed tighter.

"You mean…" Kagome let go.

"There were no demons?" Sango asked.

Roy, Ed, & Jordan all laughed. Caroline began choking & flailing her arms.

"Of course not," the Colonel said. "We were all at the Military HQ."

The others were silent, & glared at Caroline.

"Told ya she was lying," Inuyasha bragged.

They ignored him. "She's in the army?" Sango asked.

"Of course," Jordan said. She snapped once, & Caroline was dropped. "She's a State Alchemist."

"A State _wha_?" Inuyasha asked, confused.

"Alchemist," Roy replied, walking up.

"What's an Alchemist?" Miroku asked.

"How'd you do that?" Shippo asked, still amazed by the fire techniques.

Jordan smiled. "Well, I'm a State Alchemist too, & whenever I snap-" Caroline stood up, looking at the burnt edges of her collar. Jordan snapped, & in flaming letters above her head were the words (a/n: 'I am Lord Voldemort') 'Shrimp'. An arrow appeared & pointed down at her. Both Mustangs started holding in their laughter. Caroline looked at them.

"What?" she asked, obliviously. She looked to where their eyes rested. The letters dispersed. She looked at them oddly as they snickered amongst themselves.

"She doesn't like being called short?" Shippo asked.

"Not at all," she answered.

"Neither does that little shrimp over there," Roy said, pointing to Ed, who had joined Caroline.

The blonde looked up. "What'd you say?"

Mustang smiled. "Nothing, Fullmetal, nothing at all."

Ed's eyes narrowed, but he returned to talking with Caroline.

"Anyways," Jordan said. "We're all State Alchemists. They're Alchemists who work for the Military & get funded for their research."

"But… how did you do that?" Shippo was obviously confused.

"Easy," Jordan said. She showed him the wristbands she wore. "Alchemy. It's a type of science. That-" she pointed to the flame transmutation circle on them. "Is a transmutation circle. By putting your hands on it, you should be able to make a lot of reactions."

"As long as it's equivalent exchange," Roy added.

"Yeah. But some kinds of Alchemy are forbidden." All heads turned to Ed's voice. All, except Jordan & Roy were confused to as why both Elrics looked saddened & guilty.

"What do they mean?" Sango asked.

"Nothing," Roy quickly answered. "I'm sorry, but we have to be going now."

"No, stay," Shippo begged.

"He's right," Miroku said. "Its quite late to go out into the forests now. There might be demons."

"Somehow I doubt so," Roy said. "We got here fine enough."

"Aw come on, Roy!" Jordan said. "Lets just stay for one night at least!"

Roy looked down at her. She began to whimper, sounding much like a lost puppy.

He sighed. "Fine, just stop whimpering," he said.

"Yes!" Jordan yelled.

"Pardon me," Kagome said. "But, I don't think we've introduced ourselves yet."

"Right," Roy nodded.

"I'm Sango, the demon slayer, & this is Kirara," she patted the small white cat on her shoulder.

"I'm Miroku, the monk," said the raven haired boy, bowing slightly.

"I'm Kagome Higurashi, this is Shippo," she motioned to the red-haired kitsune sitting in her arms. "& that-" she motioned to Inuyasha. "Is Inuyasha, the half-demon."

"What's this about demons?" Ed asked, walking up. Roy elbowed him. "I mean, my name is Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist."

"But you look so-" Kagome stopped, remembering what Roy said earlier. "Young." She said. "So young to already be in the Militia."

"Yeah, yeah," he said.

"I'm Colonel Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist," Roy said proudly.

"So, you use fire as well?" Sango asked.

"Yeah," Jordan stated. "But I can turn mine into different shapes & sizes, that's why they call me Jordan Mustang, the Living Fire Alchemist."

The team stared at the group of siblings, then noticed something, or some_one _was missing.

"Wait," Miroku said. "Where's Caroline?"

Almost as if an answer from God (a/n: or Buddha, in Miroku's case.), Roy suddenly yelled

"Caroline!"

They all turned to find Caroline rummaging madly through Kagome's backpack, finding & eating every piece of candy or sweets in there. She turned & replied. "I like sugar."

"Get outta my stuff, you shrimp!" Kagome yelled, losing it, & running for her stuff.

"Give me some!" Ed yelled.

"Fullmetal!" Roy scolded.

"Sorry," he apologized.

"You idiot! You have a whole stash in your coat pocket!" Jordan yelled.

So Kagome, Roy, Ed, Jordan, & Caroline had ruined the quiet night by the campfire, leaving the rest to dub the people from the modern times clinically insane.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: Well, we are clinically insane so… that kinda helps.

Jordan: Yes. Yes it does.

Caroline: It's just proof that we are.

Jordan: Like the proof that no one likes me better coughhint-HINTcough

Caroline: Yeah, honestly, if people really loved Fullmetal Alchemist & Inuyasha, they'd know that if they read this, **REVIEWS WOULD BE EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE!**

Jordan: They just flat-out hate us.

Caroline: No, they think they'll hurt our feelings.

Jordan: Oh god. Not that again.

Caroline: Okay, look, my OCs, yes, they are based after both me (Hi!) & my friend & we both quite frankly are rivals, but we don't get emotional over ANYTHING. I mean, we don't care if more people like the sporadic sugar-high one (Caroline) or if they like the cynical pyromaniac (Jordan). **NOTHING **will happen to either one of us, like if Jordan loses, she won't die later in the fic. & Neither will I! Just PLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAASSSEE help our curiosity! We're only curious so please tell us which OC you like better.

Jordan: & please review or Caroline will cry again.

Caroline: & Sesshomaru will bite off your toes one-by-one, devour your splien, tear out your arteries & veins & choke you with them until you loose so much blood that you die.

Jordan:...long story, SHORT (Caroline: I AM NOT!), review or die.

Caroline: Hey we could get shirts like that! Instead of... you know, vote or die.


	5. The Journey Begins

Caroline: You know what? I don't think anyone cares.

Jordan: Me neither. Everyone just sucks.

Caroline: Well I coulda toldja that.

Jordan: Well, here's where things are about to get REAL intresting.

Caroline: Hell yea it is.

Jordan:...You wrote in Japanese in this chapter.

Caroline: Yes. Yes I did. It's a good song...from what I remember of it.

Jordan: It's a Digimon song.

Caroline: Don't judge me! I quit liking it like...a year & a half ago!

Jordan: Yea...but you still used it.

Caroline: SHUT UP. YOU still watch it.

Jordan:...Sometimes.

Caroline: Uh huh. Tell the truth.

Jordan: When I'm bored I do.

Caroline: (eyeroll) Whatever.

* * *

Chapter 5: The Journey Begins

"Why do you have to leave?" Shippo asked.

"Yeah," Kagome said. "Why don't you guys stay here? I'm sure your alchemy could be of some use."

"I wouldn't mind it the least," Miroku added, a twinkle in his eye.

Sango glared at him. "What was that?"

"Uh…" he corrected himself nervously. "I mean, they are talented with their skills & I believe they could be of some use."

Ed gave a slightly embarrassed chuckle & replied "Thanks for the compliments. We'd love to help but," He thought of Al. "I've got someone waiting for me."

"Niisan?" Caroline asked, thinking of the same person.

Ed nodded.

"Wait? You've got another sibling?" Shippo asked.

"Well, yeah," Caroline said. "He can use alchemy too."

"Why don't you bring him here?" Kagome smiled brightly.

Ed hesitated, then looked at the ground, guilt in his eyes. The others stayed quiet.

"Kagome, quit insisting & let em go," Inuyasha said, obviously annoyed by the time they were wasting.

Kagome frowned. "Fine," she said, giving in. "Do you mind if we walk back to the well with you guys?"

The four looked at each other, then shrugged.

"Don't see why not," Jordan spoke up.

Al stirred, the image of daylight somehow blurring his vision. Then he noticed something.

"Oh no!" he exclaimed.

The well was destroyed. Bits of wood lay across the grass.

Al ran over to it & peeped down into the darkness of the well.

"Brother…"

_Miageta sora Kimi wa tooi basho de_

_Onaji keshiki Mitsumete iru no ka na_

No one was all too happy on the way to the 'new well' as they called it. Inuyasha was as grumpy & negative as ever. Kagome was a bit sad on the thought of losing their new friends & hopeful teammates, as well as Shippo, having taken to Jordan & Caroline quite well. Sango was carefully watching Miroku, making sure he dared not make a move on either of the two girls. Both Mustangs were arguing on the fact of staying & leaving.

"I wanna stay!" Jordan yelled.

"You're not staying & that's final!" Roy snapped. (a/n: no not literally… baka)

"What? I'm strong enough!" his sister persisted.

"That's irrelevant! You have important State Alchemist missions to complete!"

"I'll do em later!"

"We don't belong here!"

"Neither does Kagome!"

Caroline chuckled as the two behind them argued, then looked up at Ed.

"Can we come back after we see Al, Niisan? I'm sure he'll understand."

Ed smiled. "I don't think so. Mustang's right. There are some other things in our own time we need to complete first."

"Oh yeah!" Caroline said. "The Philosopher's Stone! How could I have forgotten?"

Ed hesitated, & then smiled slightly. "Yeah, about that," he said quietly.

"What about it?" Caroline asked.

"Its-"

_Todokanai omoi o_

"We're gonna find it," he said, suddenly feeling too nervous to tell her.

She smiled & laughed, trusting him.

_Mune ni kizamitsuke hashitteta nada_

Inuyasha suddenly stopped, causing the rest behind him to bump into one another.

"What is it?" Kagome asked, but then gasped.

The others ran to the front & saw an image of a broken well.

"What's so… bad?" Caroline asked, confused.

"I hate to break it to you but… you can't get back," Kagome said worriedly.

"Huh?" she asked, still somewhat lost.

"If the well is broken," Inuyasha explained, picking up a piece of wood. "You can't get back to your own time." He broke the block in two.

The four looked in disbelief at the well, & then Roy, being the eldest, spoke up.

"If it's true that we cannot return, we'll join you."

The others looked up at him, amazed.

"But," he added. "If it ever does clean up, we'll go back to our time."

They smiled & nodded.

"Alright," Kagome said. "Lets go, then!"

Caroline, Roy, & Jordan began to follow, but Ed lagged a bit behind.

His mind repeated what he had just said, & his sister's everlasting faith in him.

_Bokutachi ga yumemita ashita ni_

_Hibiku yo Kimi no warai goe_

Caroline turned around.

"Edo-san, you coming?"

He looked startled, sighed, & then walked forward faithfully, hoping to have no doubts or regrets on the journey they were about to begin.

_Dakara bokutachi ga atarashii kaze o_

_Okosou Mujaki na mama de_

The day had gone somewhat well. No one or nothing had attacked the group so far, they had walked through small villages, some people looking a bit more strangely at both Ed & Caroline. A few minor incidents had occurred with Miroku, Caroline, & Jordan, which had resulted in the poor monk suffering metal, a large boomerang, & mild, but still painful, burns. They had been walking nonstop, & had stopped in a large, open meadow, setting up camp & a warm fire, thanks to both Mustangs. The team had decided to lie on their backs in the grass, taking a well-deserved rest for the night.

"Wow," Caroline muttered, looking up at the stars. "You never see this in the East City dustbowl."

Jordan nodded. "Yeah. That's cause the lights are always on & no one's ever quiet," she joked, nudging Caroline in the ribs.

"Shut up," Caroline growled.

"So, what's this you were saying about Naraku?" Roy asked, not in the two girl's conversation.

"He's the one that put this curse in my family," Miroku said, looking at his right arm.

"He's the one that killed Kikyo & forced her to betray me," Inuyasha said angrily.

"He made Kohaku slaughter his own village & family," Sango said, sadness & determination in her eyes.

_Te o tsunaide Hashaida omoide wa_

_Kioku no naka Kiete shimaisou de_

"Who is Kohaku, again, or have you mentioned him before?" Ed asked.

"I haven't said yet," Sango said. "He's my younger brother, put under Naraku's control."

"So he sounds pretty bad," Ed assumed.

"He is," Kagome said. "He's also after the jewel fragments & has a ton of them. He wants to become full demon."

"Ah, so he wants power," Roy guessed.

"Yep," Shippo said.

Caroline rolled over on her stomach & began to join into the conversation. She propped her head onto her hands. "So, _who _is Kikyo again?"

Kagome sighed, exasperated. "She's my-" Caroline left coat sleeve had slid down. "What happened to your arm?"

"Uh," Caroline stopped, looking surprised for a minute, then looked in another direction, her eyes full of fear, guilt, pain, & rejection.

_Me no mae no genjitsu_

_Nagasarenai you ni furimuita nada_

Jordan looked at her, understanding exactly.

"What?" Kagome asked. "Is it something I said?"

Caroline slowly looked her in the eyes. Kagome noticed how different her eyes looked at the moment. At the moment, they reminded her of… Kikyo's.

Kagome felt somewhat guilty. "Uh, you know what? It's fine. You don't have to-"

Caroline looked downwards, & interrupted her. "No," she said. "It's fine. If you asked, you should get an answer."

"But-" Jordan interrupted.

"It's fine," Caroline said.

It was silent for a moment before she started.

"Okay, this is how it all started…"

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: Ok, as we said before, things are going to be VERY VERY interesting in the next chapter.

Jordan: It goes into our pasts & all so...

Caroline: Yes, please keep reading.

Jordan: & please REVIEW.

Caroline: You don't even have to put which character you like anymore. (mutters) We'll save it for later. BUT PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE KEEP READING & CHECKING BACK!

Jordan/Caroline: ArIgAtOu!


	6. The Beginning

Caroline: Okay, sorry yall! (YES I AM FROM THE SOUTH & IT IS 100 DEGREES HERE-NO JOKE.) I have just started school & the laptop I have has no…DUNDUNDUHHH… INTERNET.horror movie scream My parents FINALLY trust me w/ a computer & I can't get internet till like… my report card gets out…

Jordan: MY laptop has internet.

Caroline: Yes…. & YOU have ADHD.

Jordan: smile Yes I do.

Caroline: Aren't you special?

Jordan: No, I'm tired.

Caroline: Well yawn duh. Anyways…. We just started school &-

Jordan: UNIFORMS SUCK!

Caroline: OMG YES. But…… anyways we just started right after I got surgery so… yeah… it's on my left arm. BUT GOOD NEWS! I am out of gym class for 2 MONTHS! & starting tomorrow morning (since I'm typing this thing at 11:03 tonight) at 7:50 I will be in the school library HOPEFULLY updating this fic! HOPEFULLY. So PLEAZ keep checkin back cuz I will be working my BUTT OFF through late nights & all trying to keep my fics secret from parents & all. Please bear w/ me guys! & THANX SO MUCH 2 YALL WHO DID REVIEW! YALL ARE SO AWSUM & I LOVE YALL IN A SAFE & HEALTHY WAY! NOW READ ON GODDANGIT! READ ON!

* * *

Chapter 6: The Beginning

Roy opened the door. In the freezing downpour of rain stood a man, dripping wet.

"Hoen… heim?" he asked slowly.

The man in the doorway nodded.

Roy noticed a small child on his shoulder. She was fast asleep o. Her hair was fairly long & pulled back into a ponytail, & she looked only about maybe one & a half.

"You never mentioned you had a daughter," Roy said, smiling slightly.

Hoenheim looked him in the eyes.

"I never intended to," he whispered.

Roy looked confused.

"What do you… mean by that?"

Hoenheim frowned & looked down.

"Trisha… the others… her family is dead."

They both looked at the ground in silence for a few moments. Suddenly, both were called to attention as the infant stirred.

"She's awake," Hoenheim muttered.

Roy looked at the girl as she grasped onto Hoenheim's coat & shivered from the rain.

"It must be hard," he said "Keeping each of you alive."

"That's what I was here for."

Mustang saw him grimace.

"Sir, is there anything you want to-"

"If you could, would you please take care of Caroline?"

Roy looked shocked.

"Sir, I… This is so sudden… What do you… Why me?" he asked, trying both to understand & sound polite at the same time.

"As you said, it's hard keeping us both alive. If I died, who would she go to? She's only an infant, Mustang. You're the one I trust most in the Military. The most responsible. If I left my child to anyone… Would you please… take her?"

Roy looked at the man. He did seem regretful of what he would have to do, & Roy knew it was the right thing to do in his heart. Who knows? It could even benefit his sister somehow. He finally looked the man in the eye & nodded solemnly.

"I'll do my best, sir."

Hoenheim hardly managed a small smile, held onto his daughter for the last time, & then placed her in Mustang's arms. Roy looked down as the girl's brown eyes fluttered open. She looked up at him sleepily, yet adoringly, accepting him, then gave a smile as she fell asleep in his arms. He looked back up to see Hoenheim walking off into the rain, & noticed, if not a drop of rain, a tear slip down his cheek.

A young black-haired, freckle-faced girl stood in the kitchen. She raised an eyebrow at the girl in the highchair. The child struggled with the belt that held her to the thing, then hit the fiend repeatedly until she figured enough was enough, & resided to pouting. That's when she noticed the elder girl. She looked at her in curiosity.

"So what do you think?" Roy asked, his back to both.

His sister bent down to look the infant in the eye. Blue met brown for a few seconds, & then, the toddler blew a small spit bubble, which popped quickly, but the girl still seemed amazed. She laughed, & began clapping her hands, proud of her accomplishment. She looked to the other girl to do the same, but instead, almost as if a challenge, she blew a spit bubble of her own, only obviously larger & it didn't pop near as quickly. The toddler stared, confused & almost in disbelief. The elder girl stood up straight once again & smirked slightly.

"I think she'll be an easy opponent," she replied.

Caroline looked at her feet, deep in thought, Roy turned around, a bottle in his hand, & Jordan began to walk off.

"You mean friend!" Roy corrected uselessly.

The brunette looked up as she noticed Roy place the bottle on her tray. Her eyes got wide in fear, & she began to scream as loud as possible. Before Jordan could react, Caroline had grabbed the bottle, & thrown it, aiming & striking Jordan's skull. When the younger Mustang began to glare, the baby had a smug, overconfident look on her face.

"I hate you!" Jordan yelled.

& she & Roy both could've sworn they heard something similar to a "Likewise!"

"Ugh… this is so heavy…" a panting, four year old girl complained. "Can't you just _skip_ work for a day?"

Roy sighed & turned around, mumbling something to the equivalent of "Will she ever shut up?"

He saw that the brunette was lagging quite far behind & struggling greatly with the weight of the books in her arms. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself, which stopped the girl in her tracks.

"What!" she yelled. "Do you think this is _funny_, mister? Cause if it is-"

She started trying to intimidate the man, though he had sixteen years of experience on her & was a great deal taller than her as well. She tried to manage doing something with her fist, probably shake it at him, Roy thought, as it's quite odd to witness a four year old flip you off. The only thing she had managed, though, is nearly her balance. Removing a hand from the bottom of the stack had caused her a great deal of trouble, & Roy couldn't hold it any longer.

The girl blushed embarrassingly, then glared at him with all the most hatred a four year old could harness.

"Quit laughing at me, you idiot!" she yelled. "I'll get you back! I swear I will! Then we'll see who's laughing _then_, won't-"

"Oh, god, Roy, did you call her short _again_?"

Roy looked at his sister, startled for a second. Where had she'd gone? Why hadn't he asked? Why wasn't he more worried? Oh yeah, he thought she had been eaten by a rabid weasel from Mongolia… or something like that……. yeah.

"Where were you exactly?" he asked, trying to sound like a 'mature' twenty year old.

"_Relax_," the girl said. "I was getting some candy. No, Caroline, it's mine & you can't have it," she responded, pretty much automatically, to the girl's lit-up eyes. "& no, I was not ambushed, attacked, captured, & almost cooked in a yummy ice cream & human stew created by the bush baby friends in Guatemala."

The younger girl had barely opened her mouth when-

"_Yes_. I am sure."

The brunette looked somewhat saddened by the fact that her friend had not undergone this wonderful adventure. Roy smiled slightly, & then noticed, he would have _never_ given a four year old- one, two, three, four- _twenty eight _books!

He looked suspiciously at Jordan, then Caroline, & then back to his _sweet, innocent, naïve baby _sister.

"How did she end up with so many books? & _you_" his eyes flicked to her empty arms "have none?"

The girl smiled with a sly look in her eye, & remembered later on last night when the two had formed some sort of agreement.

"_So… how do we do this?"_

"_Simple," the black haired girl explained. "We flip a coin. Heads- you carry them all. Tails- I don't."_

"_Oh, I get it now!" the brunette yelled happily._

"_That's the spirit!" the girl congratulated, hoping the somewhat innocent-minded 'orphan' didn't catch a glint in her eye or the smirk that had been passed down the family line._

"_Gosh, how'd you get so smart?" the girl asked._

_Put on an innocent act…_

"_Oh, well, when you get to be my age you realize knowledge only comes to the," she sniffed officially, like those rich people do when they've got a booger hanging out of their nose "Oh, how can I say this? Ah, yes. Knowledge only comes to the," that smirk widened. "Short."_

"_Woah! I hope I'm considered the shortest person on earth!"_

_And hope to get that last bit in recording._

"_Well..." Jordan led on. "I don't think we'll have to worry much on that." She took a coin out of her pocket. The two stared at it like a cow stares at a piece of grass…_

"_Maybe it's a leprechaun in disguise," Caroline muttered._

_And believes its Satan._

_Jordan looked at her & raised an eyebrow._

"_You're insane."_

_& with that, the coin went up. It landed on the ground with an interesting little sound. Heads._

But, it was a day later, & you could not move on by reliving the past. However, you could make it to the candy store _&_ confuse the idiots who lived with you with_out _carrying _any_ of Roy's two pound alchemy books. And that is _exactly _what she had intended to do, & did.

"So that's how it happened," Jordan said, grinning.

"How _what_ happened?" Roy asked, confused _&_ annoyed. "All you did is sit there & stare at the sky for one minute & eighteen seconds, & then smile & say 'That's how it happened'."

Two pairs of eyes were on Jordan. She was taken aback. She was _sure_ she had explained it to Roy just then.

"Short term memory, huh?" Caroline asked, smiling a bit.

Oh how innocent the young are, she thought, especially when the kid in front of you can't recall _ever_ calling herself _or_ wishing she were short, even though it _was_ just the previous night.

Oh well, by the time Jordan had snapped out of that phase, Roy had shrugged it off, & taken many of the books into his own arms.

& that shrimp was ahead of her again!

Man, she _had_ to stop stealing that medicine on Hughes's desk.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: Rrghhh… I want Inuyasha ON & I want it right NOW darnit. sigh Late night madness kickin in…. MUST HAVE KIBBLES & BITS… asleep… eyes open… trying to type but slowly losing will to live… must not kill…. TREES ARE FRIENDS GOSHDARNIT! TREES! ARE! FRIENDS!……………….slow……………ly…..fal..llling……asleajfioerhnaonhuinjnbdshyuewoueriojmngvnejbhbubrvbhjfdsnugfiobtrhjbnjnbiweniubeuioewphigytnjktwn bkjvneushuewsdfffffnjytkiuasdfduaktcAHH! Srry yall.. OMG. I am SO hungry. I didn't want no STUPID Capn Crunch peanut butter cereal for dinner! I mean… I like it & all but………. I ate cereal at BREAKFAST already. Twice a day… wow.. I must be….. wutdotheycallit? Oh. CrUnChItIzEd.

Jordan:……………………………-- zZ

Caroline: Ugh… no fair. Shes beat me to sleep! Actually shes probably sitting WIDE AWAKE, contacts in, wondering how many times she has used the 'I won't let you swordfight' blackmail today, thinking of Hiei (whose name is Vincent in the Phillipine dub … lol…Hehehe… Hiei…. Hehehehehehe…..hehehehehe… Vincent….hehehehehhehe..im a loser.), & just WAITING for 'Secret of the Jewel of 4 Souls' 2 come on. PROBABLY though. Which means QUITE LIKELY. Ah well… I must go becuz…. Well… I'm bored & I wanna watch Inu…. & find sumthin 2 eat goshdarnit. HEY RED EYE COMMERCIAL! Im seein that Saturday! CaNT W8 JoRDI! Awww…poor Sango……Oh yea! Plus….. I GET 2 BEAT MY BOYFRIEND W/ A PADDED SWORD L8R ON THAT DAY! OH YEAH! FYI- JORDANS BDAY IS AUGUST 22ND SO IF U WANNA WISH HER HAPPY BDAY DO SO ON A REVIEW OR SUMTHN! THANX AGAIN 4 THOSE OF U WHO REVIEWD! I APPRECI8 IT!


	7. A Path Chosen

Caroline: Alrighty! Gomensai! Ok I kinda lied in the last chaptr cuz… I didn't go 2 study hall… I had 2 get drug testd n our gym… (IM NOT ON CRACK I SWEAR!) OH BUT JORDANS ON RIDDLIN!

Jordan: ADHD medication

Caroline: Wuts it feel like 2 b high?

Jordan: punches Caroline

Caroline: OWWWW… (rubs cheek) BUT I WILL B N STUDY HALL 2MORRO I PROMISE! But I mite have 2 post every few days or so… kinda depends…. But…. Things r going 2 get VERY VERY intrestin now so….. yeah….. serious stuff comin up now…. SO Y DON'T U GET 2 IT YA BAKA?

* * *

Chapter 6: A Path Chosen

She stared at him, her brown eyes wide & watchful for something of the least excitement to happen in the Military complex. A teddy bear dangled from her hand. She didn't see him daily for almost a year. He just came home from war almost a week ago. She didn't say anything, but she just stared ahead. The way his hair fell in his face… the deepness in his eyes… the way he acted so calm, so cool, so… official. & that god awful smirk always pasted onto his face. _Everything _from his personality to his looks…

Absolutely sickened her.

"Roy-_saaaaaaaaan_?" she asked.

"What is it?" he asked, aggravated that the six year old had asked, in counting, seventeen times in the past eight minutes.

"Will you play with me _now_?"

He wrinkled his brow.

"What did I say two minutes ago?"

Her expression fell.

"No." she said disappointedly, & in a low voice.

"Do you think I've changed my mind?"

She stared at the ground silently for a few minutes. "No." she finally answered.

"Now, go along & find something else to do," Roy said, waving her off.

She wandered the streets of Central, staring at the ground. After many blocks of walking, she looked up to the sky. She had no clue where Jordan was half of the time, & Roy was always 'too busy' for her. She gripped the bear's paw tightly, & was finally snapped out of her phase when she heard laughter. She whirled around to see where it was coming from.

Across the street was a small, yet happy looking family of three. A girl maybe three or four years older than Caroline, ran up ahead & pointed into a window.

"Ooh! Mom, look at this!" she yelled, pointing at something fantastic in the window. "Can I _please_ get it?"

"Well," her mother followed close behind, & had a doubtful look as she spoke. "I'm not sure."

"Honey," walked up a cheerful-looking man. "Let her get it."

He slipped his daughter a bill of some sort. The girl squealed in excitement & hugged her dad tightly.

"I love you, daddy!" she yelled. "You're the best!"

The brunette's expression deepened further as she watched this. She turned away sadly, holding the bear tightly against her much-too-large green sweatshirt.

As she walked farther into Central, she entered a park. She passed a father teaching his little son to walk, a father carrying his daughter on his shoulders, & a playground. It looked abandoned. The girl nervously began to approach the swing set. She sat down on one of the swings, the bear still in her arms. She hugged it tightly as the swing nudged a little, very slowly. She began to feel a _little_ better at the least. But then…

A girl, possibly the same age as her was running & playing around in the grass outside of the playground area. She started inspecting things- trees, bushes, behind benches, & the area around her.

"Daddy?" she asked, smiling.

Suddenly a much older man jumped out from one of the trees & tackled his daughter playfully, & the two laughed & laughed as they rolled around & played. They left laughing happily.

& a tear slid down Caroline's cheek as it began to rain.

It had been pouring down rain for almost half an hour now. She ran as fast as she could, her hood up, & her bear in her arms. She had earned two bloody knees from slipping on the sidewalk, but she'd have to take care of that when she got home. She had run past Central already, but both Roy & Jordan had left.

"_Are you sure they're not here?"_

_Riza nodded. "I made sure myself," she said._

_The girl looked down, terrified of the consequences she would face once home._

"_Do you… want me to take you home?" she asked. The Second Lieutenant could be so caring sometimes._

_The girl shook her head. "Nah," she said. "I'll be fine."_

'Dangit,' the girl thought. 'If I don't get home soon, I'll be dead.'

Lightning flashed overhead, & thunder boomed loudly as the night sky poured down rain.

'Or drowned, whichever comes first.'

She suddenly came to a stop, noticing the building on her right. She ran in, expecting either a round of yelling, sparks flown in her direction, or both.

"I'm sorry! I'm-" she began yelling, then stopped. She heard the sound of crying. Her voice got quieter & she put down her hood. "Huh?"

She entered the den, sopping wet. She saw Roy sitting in the chair he always sat in, his expression deep in thought. So deep that he looked… sad. She had never seen him this sad before. He held his sister in his arms, her head buried in his shoulders. Caroline could clearly see that Jordan was the one crying, but Roy didn't look too far from it. It took a minute before he noticed her. His eyes looked up at her, but he didn't move an inch.

The girl hugged the bear tighter, & brought it closer to her face. She did this when she was scared or nervous. Everyone who knew her well knew this. Roy motioned for her to come nearer with a small nod of his head.

She nervously stepped forward, & kept walking. When she was finally standing beside him, she mumbled "Sorry."

He gave a sad little smile, & ruffled her hair. "Hey kiddo."

He put an arm around her in an embrace. She was confused, but thought everything would be alright. So she smiled to herself & hugged back.

The eight year old brunette wandered through the Military complex. Jordan was probably out beating other kids up with her new wristbands.

'Typical,' she thought. 'Just like her.'

That had become the ten year old's new obsession. She had always loved fire. Especially fire alchemy. & Roy's gloves were apparently the best thing that had ever happened in her world. So wristbands just like Roy's gloves was the perfect gift for her- the ultimate torture for humanity. It was all Roy's fault though. He promised her when she was ten she could get those wristbands, or the swords had to go. So for both she & Caroline's sword-fighting-obsessive sake, she waited, and she got them. Caroline wondered what she would get this year. She was close to turning nine. Only about 6 months away but…

She wondered if he would get her something exciting. Maybe like… toys, manga, candy, clothes… Her eyes sparkled at the thought. Or would he get her something boring… something to do with… alchemy.

Now Caroline didn't _hate_ alchemy exactly. The idea of it was great & all, but… there was just so much to read… & learn. & no eight year old wants to read… & read… & read… &……. read.

Ah well, she'd just have to wait till her birthday, she guessed. She stepped into Roy's office. Surprisingly it was empty. His desk was somewhat clean. She walked in.

"Where are ya, ya stupid taisa?" she asked. She saw a note on his desk. "Nani?" she muttered as she picked it up. It read:

Dear Caroline,

I have gone out to lunch. No I will not bring you back anything. You eat enough as it is & I know for a fact you have a secret stash in your backpack. I'll see you when I get back.

-Roy

P.S. If this is Jordan, remember what we talked about using the wristbands _responsibly._

Caroline smiled & jotted something down at the bottom.

'Not-So-Dear Roy,

How _dare_ you go to lunch without me! You make me endlessly sad & you starve me at home, you liar! I hate you! You're ugly & stupid & I wish you would die!

-Caroline

P.S. It's not in my backpack you baka! It's in my sweatshirt!'

She smiled & sat down smiling. She suddenly saw a cracked-open drawer.

'Well,' she thought, 'you know what they say… curiosity killed the cat but…'

"He still had another 8 lives to go," she muttered aloud.

She opened the drawer & saw many opened, closed, half-written letters to different people.

Jean Havoc… Fuhrer Bradley… Maes Hughes… Riza Hawkeye… Riza Hawkeye……. Riza Hawkeye………………………… Hoenheim Elric?

"Nani?" she asked.

She had never seen him before… or heard of him for that matter. It seemed to be to Roy.

Oh well, a little peak couldn't hurt, could it?

It was already opened, so she whipped out the letter.

'Dear Mr. Roy Mustang,

This is not Hoenheim Elric writing, but one of his nurses instead. This does concern him however. He was found on the streets in very poor condition, & with many open wounds. He was very weak, & couldn't talk very much. He rested most of the days he was with us. However, he wished for me to write to you & that you may promise him one thing. Around a year & a half ago, he left his daughter, Caroline, I believe, in your care. He asked that you please not bring him up much, if at all. & that if she asks, please don't give her too much information, if you know what I mean. Please try to keep it a secret, & I personally ask that you respect his wishes, as he passed late last night. I'm sure you'll find the right thing to do.'

Caroline stared at the note in disbelief. How could she have been so… blind? Every time she had ever asked about her dad, Roy had changed it to a different subject or said he had to go do something else. How could he do this to her? After all the years she had trusted him...

She couldn't let him know. She put the letter back in the envelope, & sat there, for what seemed like an eternity, & stared at the ground in silence. & then… it hit her. The path she would take. The path that could give her everything she ever wanted.

She knew Roy had appeared when the doorway darkened with a shadow, & he said

"Is something wrong?"

She looked up, tears in her eyes, & forced a smile.

"I smile when I feel like crying."

& leaving a confused Roy standing there, she left the room.

She had chosen her path now.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: Awwwwwww….. I feel sad writin this chaptr….. amongst many I probably will…but……..yea….. I gotta go now caus Im REALLY REALLY hungry & I want a frozen Skor bar……..THEYRE REALLY GOOD I JUST TRIED 1 30 MINUTES AGO! Neways…. R&R pleaz!

Jordan: OR ILL BEAT U W/ A SWORD!

Caroline:…………………' or that……


	8. Wounded

Caroline: Alright! Here we go! The 1st songfic in this chaptr! This song is called 'Wounded' & its the VERY VERY end of song #15 on the best CD EVER by the GREATEST BAND ON THIS EARTH- GoOd ChArLoTtE!

Jordan: Among many other gr8 bands!

Caroline: Simple Plan!

Jordan: Trapt!

Caroline: Relient K!

Jordan: The Offspring!

Caroline: Greenday!

Jordan: My Chemical Romance!

Caroline: Linkin Park!

* * *

Chapter 8: Wounded

_Lost & broken_

Caroline stood up.

"I think I'll leave now," she said.

"Where are you going?" Sango asked.

She shrugged & wandered off into the field.

The group watched after her.

"Will she be okay?" Kagome asked.

"She'll be back," Jordan said.

The late night Japanese breeze blew away her tears as the girl walked away, sad & alone. There was another night she had felt the same way.

_Hopeless & lonely_

The girl yawned as she woke up. An incredibly worn piece of chalk sat in her hand. She had dozed in & out all day long, & she had managed to get most of the circle drawn onto her bedroom floor. She blinked unenthusiastically, & went downstairs. As she walked past the den & into the kitchen, she was stopped by a certain black- haired girl.

"Hey."

The brunette was startled as she climbed onto the counter. She whirled around.

"What do you want?"

The younger Mustang raised her eyes from her alchemy book.

"Relax, kid," she said purposely, making the younger girl give her a scowl. "No need to be so cranky," she teased. "Did the baby not get her nap today?"

Caroline scowled as she opened a cabinet. She kept her eyes on the girl, watching her like a hawk, & the same went for the other. "If you had paid attention, you would know I had gotten _plenty_ of naps today."

The girl pulled out the box of chalk she needed.

"_Paid attention_?" the girl raised an eyebrow, & then laughed. "You had the door _locked_, you idiot. "I was about to kick the door open but Roy would have killed me &" she gave that god awful Mustang family smirk that meant nothing but trouble "he would find out your little secret."

Caroline's eyes widened. "Uhh….. what secret?" she asked.

The smirk stayed pasted to her face. "Please," she said. "I know you've been doing alchemy all along."

The brunette blushed & looked at the ground. "No I haven't."

"Fine," the ten year old said. "Lie, but you might want to wash the chalk off your shirt."

The girl blushed even more & ran up the stairs without anymore said.

"Oh yeah!" Jordan yelled. "Roy had to go off to work but he told me to tell you Happy Birthday!"

_Smiling on the outside_

The girl stopped on the step she was on. She acknowledged the fact & nodded, then continued running.

In a rush to get things done, she slammed the door but forgot to lock it. She continued to draw the circle. Not even twenty minutes later, the door opened.

"Hey I came to see if you wanted to-"

She stopped & noticed the circle.

"Caroline…" she said suspiciously, knowing good & well that Caroline was quite a troublemaker, purposely or not. "What are you doing?"

The girl looked up.

"Look what I did," she said pointing to the circle.

The girl walked over to the brunette. The brunette looked up, expecting praise for doing so well with alchemy. Instead, Jordan grabbed her by the collar.

"What do you think you're doing?" she yelled at her, the other fist raised. "You could _die _doing this, you idiot!"

The girl looked up at her, the look in her eyes overflowing with determination. "No I won't," she argued. "I'll get it right this time," she said. "I redid the equations over & over again, & they have to be ri-"

The black-haired girl punched the brunette right in the face.

_But hurt beneath my skin_

"Are you really gonna hit me?" the girl asked after a moment of silence. Her voice sounded hurt, quiet…

_My eyes are fading_

The girl looked back up, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her eyes no longer had the usual driven-by-determination look in them. Now there was pain in them, nothing but it, so much pain, her eyes almost looked lifeless.

_My soul is bleeding_

A trail of blood ran from the girl's mouth.

_I try to make it seem okay_

Jordan felt restraint from repeatedly punching the girl until she agreed to not go through with this. She dropped her, & turned away.

"Don't go through with this," she said. "I'm not telling you this for Roy," she looked at her from the side. "I'm telling you this as a friend."

She walked out & slammed the door.

The girl sat there, a few tears still rolling from her eyes, wondering that maybe, just maybe Jordan was right. She shouldn't go through with this, after all that's happened to others who've done this.

_But my faith is wearing thin_

But yet… she had to. Look how close she was to finishing. She couldn't let go of it all now. She continued to draw.

_So help me heal these wounds_

Jordan ran through the evening rain.

"Dammit," she muttered to herself, soaked by the freezing March rain. 'I gotta find Roy,' she thought. 'I _have_ to! If anyone will stop her for sure, it's him!'

She wondered though, if the nine year old had listened to what she said.

_They've been open for way too long_

The girl ran into Central, her garments completely dripping from the rain, & sadly, the first person she ran into was Maes Hughes.

"Jordan!" he yelled. "Have I told you already?"

"Excuse me, Hughes," she said, trying to get around him.

"Oh well, I guess not, seeing as how eager you are to get away," Hughes said.

The ten year old tried to push him away… literally. Hughes just went on & on for five minutes straight. She finally lost it.

"Dammit, Hughes! I _know_ your wife is pregnant & I_ know_ you're happy about it & I _know_ you think she's _really really_ hot right now but I don't wanna hear about it! I gotta find Roy _now_!"

_Help me fill this hole_

Hughes raised an eyebrow as the girl panted from both running & yelling.

"He's in his office."

_Even though this is not your fault_

She ran up & found Roy looking at some documents.

"Get up!" she said.

Roy wasn't used to taking orders from a girl fifteen years younger than him. "Why?" he drawled.

"It's important & I'll explain to you on the way there!"

_That I'm open & I'm bleeding_

The two ran in the rain as fast as they could.

"So why are we running?" Roy asked.

"Caroline's trying… to do human transmutation," his sister answered through panting.

"She's what?" Roy asked in disbelief. "When… how did she learn to do alchemy?" he asked.

"She taught herself!" Jordan replied.

"Dammit," Roy muttered.

"What?" Jordan asked.

_All over your brand new rug_

"I just figured it out & now she's trying this!"

"Figured what out?" Jordan asked, confused.

"Remember last month when I was gone for a few days?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah well, her mom & dad are both dead, but… her brothers aren't."

"What?" Jordan asked, appalled. "Why haven't you told her?"

"You should know why now!" Roy answered. "She's too radical about things. She'd run away, try to find them! I'm not sure if Hoenheim lied or not about their mother dying at that age, but… they tried to resurrect her."

The girl's eyes widened.

"The elder one lost his arm & his leg," he continued. "The younger one… he lost his whole body."

"Is he-"

"His soul was bound to a suit of armor," Roy answered before his sister could finish.

"How do you know it's her brothers?" she asked.

"Their last names are Elric, they lived in Resembool where their father came from, & Ed & Caroline have a resemblance, you know?" Roy said. "Also the elder one, Ed seems to have the same radical, determined attitude his sister does. Or so I've heard."

"So are you going to-"

Their conversation was interrupted by a blood-curdling scream heard by all in Central.

_& I need someone to help me heal these wounds_

The two opened the girl's bedroom door. The girl lay on the floor, a bloody mess. There was blood all over the floor, & Roy thought he saw some sort of footsteps made in blood.

"You okay?" Jordan asked the girl.

The girl had a hand placed where an arm should be attached to a shoulder. Instead was nothing but a blood soaked sweatshirt sleeve. She struggled to answer. Her eyes barely opened, but from what she could see, they were blank, yet wide & full of fear & pain.

"It… it wasn't human…" the girl muttered.

"What wasn't?" Roy asked, kneeling by the child.

"I'm… sorry…" the girl said, a few tears flowing. & then, she passed out.

Roy tended to her wounds & bandaged them up. He put the girl in her bed, & covered her with the blanket.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Jordan asked.

"I don't know, Jordan," he answered. "I really don't know."

* * *

Caroline: Aw… sniff these chapters r sad 2 write. Ah… I'm so tired. I went 2 bed 12:49 last nite & woke up at 6:41 this morning cuz my dad went outta town & called & he wanted 2 talk 2 me… however… I didn't kno that. I just woke up 2 the phon ringin. Its like…. 8:16 rite now & I've been typin evr since I got up. Ah…. I gotta go eat breakfast & get packed 4 Jordans party 2day… I CANT W8 2 SEE RED EYE & BEAT JAMES OVR THE HEAD WITH A PADDED SWORD! I just hope & PRAY no 1 hits my left arm! Ah… I got Jordans present ready last nite! It loox REALLY pretty. I hope she likes it cuz I PiMpEd HeR pReSeNt! Ahh.. she'll LOVE IT I hope… I cant cant cant cant CANT w8! O yea I got the 4th DVD yesterday! SQUEE! I WAS SO HAPPY CUZ ROY & ED FIGHT ON THAT 1 &…. Its really kool… kooler than me. I wanna watch monty python! Maybe I should put it on in like… an hour… OMG its so funny 2 watch ed & al yell each othr in Japanese! They sound AbSoLuTeLy SO cute yelling about a cat cuz u sit ther & whn u listen u hear al say 'Niisan you no baka!' Its so cutish-funny! Hey b4 I go pack n all I got a joke (not that I got anything about ADD kids or anything… I honestly think ive got it myself. Ok so how many kids w/ ADD does it take 2 screw in a lightbulbHEYLETSGORIDEBIKES! Ok… Its probly funnier whn u actually say it… Ah well… gotta go get CrUnChItIzEd by my cereal! R&R pleaz!

A wIsE mAn OnCe SaId 'Go AsK a WoMaN'


	9. Determination Strikes

Caroline: Ah im back from jordis party & Ive been typin this since 12! OMG Jordan is ObSeSsEd with her hiei plush... she slept w/ him (heheehe) & evn brough t him 2 the bathroom w/ her! O yea! Aftr I finish this fic (the WHOLE thing) there will probably b a sequel (if ne1 likes this story...) & its a INU/FMA/YYH crossovr! It will b insane &... &... cool...&...&

Hiei: appears

Caroline: HOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!

Hiei: Get away from me, girl.

Caroline: OMG! I petted your hair this morning.

Hiei:...I'm sure you did.

Kurama: appears...Goodness gracious. How did I end up here?

Caroline:oo...KURAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Kurama: '...Hi...

Caroline: blushes I MEAN... hoo keeps letting in all the YYH characters? ...yeahthatsit...

Hughes: snickers

Caroline: GAAAAAAAAH! HUGHES grabs bat & starts chasing hughes

* * *

Chapter 9: Determination Strikes

"_Daddy!"_

_A brunette girl, maybe three or so, ran up to her father. He stood, his back faced to her. He turned around._

"_Daddy, could you teach me alchemy?" she asked, her eyes wide in admiration._

"_Sure," he said. "But you've already done a good job of performing it, princess."_

_The girl smiled as he picked her up in his arms. She couldn't see his face clearly because of the bright sunlight._

"_Oh, the glass," she said, realizing what he was talking about. She held a glass cup in her hands. "I fixed it for Mommy. Do you think she'll be happy?"_

"_I think she'll be very happy, sweetheart," the man said. Then his voice turned deeper, creepier, & the sky grew darker. She could only see the intense glow in his eyes. "But… it's too bad you couldn't put me back together too."_

_The girl's eyes widened in fear. "Huh?" she asked, frightened. _

_The glass shattered._

Caroline awoke, sweating & panting, her brown eyes wide in fear. She looked to the side. Roy was looking at the ground. She could clearly see he had been keeping watch of her all night. Not only that, but she _knew_ he was angry.

_Everytime we lie awake_

"Awake, huh?" he asked, anger in his voice.

_After every hit we take_

The girl gulped before she spoke. "Ye… yeah," she muttered.

There was a long silence.

"H… how long was I out?" she asked.

Another silence, then Roy answered her. "Two days."

The girl looked amazed, yet ashamed as another silence arose.

_After every feeling that I get_

"I'm…. sorry," she said.

He looked up. The girl had never seen him look so angry in his life. His eyes looked like they had lit with fire. However, the girl didn't see it coming, but he suddenly grabbed the collar of her sweatshirt.

"Why the _hell _did you try to do this?" he roared.

"I…. I thought-" she tried to answer.

"You could bypass every law of alchemy? You thought you could bring someone back, didn't you? You thought you could do it, is that it?"

The girl looked at him, tears of fear & pain in her eyes. Her lip trembled & she lowered her head as tears of guilt began to fall. Roy looked at her, & let her go. He was being rash. Immature. He grabbed some bandages. He rolled up her blood-soaked sleeve. He began to unravel the bloody bandages that had been left on the stub of the arm she had left. Both kept silent. After he was done, he turned away.

_But I still don't miss you yet_

Caroline realized just then, he couldn't look her in the eyes. She was no different than Jordan to him, no less than a sister.

_Every rommmate left awake_

_By every sigh & scream we make_

He had done so much for her, even though she knew nothing of her real origin, he had fed her, taken care of her, raised her. & in return, she had let him down.

_All the feelings that I get_

"Roy…" she said quietly.

_But I still don't miss you yet_

He turned around. "What?" he asked.

_Only when I start to think about it_

As she looked at the ground in guilt, she motioned Roy to come closer. He knelt down, thinking something was wrong with her bandages. She threw her arms around him.

_I hate everything about you_

"What are you-" he began.

_Why do I love you_

"I'm sorry," she said.

_I hate everything about you_

"It's ok," he said.

"No it's not!" she yelled as she cried into his shoulders. "I was scared, Roy! I was! I really, really was!"

"I know," he said, his expression softening, holding her as she cried.

"I'm sorry!" she yelled, beginning to cry on his shoulder. "I'm so, so sorry."

_Why do I love you_

& as she cried in his arms, she realized she didn't need a father to hold her. She had everything she needed already there… except one thing.

_Everytime we lie awake_

A few hours later, after crying herself to sleep, she woke up to find both Mustangs in the room.

She sat up.

"Hey," she said to Jordan, seeing her for the first time since.

"Hey," the other one answered. "You feelin okay?"

_After every hit we take_

"Worse than normal," the other answered, smiling slightly. "But not too bad. I'll be up to swordfightin in no time!"

_All the feelings that I get_

Jordan raised an eyebrow. "The attitude's there," she said. "But… I'm…. afraid ya can't…." her eyes flicked to her left shoulder.

_But I haven't missed you yet_

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Caroline said, her expression turning serious, her eyes filled with determination. "I'll become a State Alchemist. I'll get my arm back, I swear. &…" she continued. "I'm gonna find the Philosophers Stone to do exactly that."

_Only when I stop to think about it_

Roy smirked. "That's a lotta determination ya got goin there, kid, but the first time you can probably get up & walk will be in four days, at least. & I doubt you're ready for the exam anyways."

_I hate everything about you_

"I got two years on my hand, at least," Jordan said. "I'm studying even now, so what makes you think you're ready?"

_Why do I love you_

"Plus, if you plan on getting _anything_ for that stub of an arm you have now," Roy started.

_I hate everything about you_

"Like automail?" Caroline interrupted.

_Why do I love you_

Roy nodded. "There's no automail engineers anywhere _near _Central," Roy said. "So why don't you just live & get on with it?" he suggested. "Start studying now if it means so much to you, then try in a couple years or so."

_Only when I stop to think about you_

_I know _

_Only when you stop to think about me_

_Do you know_

With that, he left the room. Jordan shrugged, & followed.

_I hate everything about you_

_Why do I love you_

Four days. Automail. Nowhere near Central. That was it.

_You hate everything about me_

_Why do you love me_

That's how she would study if she would become a State Alchemist. She would begin a journey across the country, or wherever needed. She was bound to find an automail engineer somewhere, as well as other alchemists.

_I hate_

A chance to break away.

_You hate_

A chance to practice alchemy in any way possible.

_I hate_

A chance to show her skills.

_You love me_

& a chance, a hope, a prayer of finding the one thing she needed…

_I hate everything about you_

_Why do I love you_

The Philosopher's Stone.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: IM BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

Hiei:-- Oh joy.

Kurama: Nice to c u again!

Caroline: > QUIT PLAYIN MR. NICE GUY! hits Kurama w/ bat

Kurama:

Hiei:...Did Jordan die or something?

Caroline: SHUT UP UR NOT SPOSED 2 KNO ABOUT HER YET!

Hiei: --...Ill pretend Ive 4gotten

Caroline: NO! ILL MAKE U 4GET! advances on hiei

Hiei: puts hand on bandages Come just a bit closer. I dare you.

Caroline: Uhhhhhhhhhh... starts 2 back away then noticesd bandages WOAH HOLY CHEEZITS! suddenly grabs hieis arm BANDAGES! I HAVE THEM 2! shows left arm C?

Hiei: eye twitch -- I see...

Caroline: WOAH TWINS! linx arm & arm w/ Hiei LETZ GO WATCH WIZRD OF OZ!

Hiei:...death glare WHY?

Caroline: CUZ BESTEST TWIN FRIEND BUDDY OF MINE amidget hangs himselfn the background if u watch the yellobrick road song

Hiei: smirks...That might b fun

No seriously a midget DOES try 2 hang himself n the background... the 1st time he fails but the 2nd time...


	10. Lost Heaven

Caroline: Okkkk… ANOTHER songfic chaptr…. Iono how many ill rite throughout this fic but there wont b 2 many… jordans n P.E. rite now doing physical fitness tests…. Me no gotta do those.

Jordan: Shut up. --

Caroline: So… WITHOUT FUTHER ADO THE 10th CHAPTR! O & the song here is the ending song of the fma movie!

Chapter 10: Searching

Wo! Kasaneawaseta yume wo idaite hateshinai rakuen he 

Caroline kept her eyes focused through the windows of the train. The sun was setting, & she had never felt so alone in her life. Her first day ay from Roy & Jordan was almost over, & she felt somewhat bad for leaving them. Yet, she was smiling, glad she had started this long journey.

Wo! Nakusu mono sae mitsukaranai kakenuketa harukana michi She had no clue of what she would find, what she would do, or how she would survive. But she only knew one possible answer. 

She would have to _try_.

Nani hitotsu utagau koto mo shira nakatta ne 

She began to think of what was ahead, & fell asleep smiling.

_WE'LL SAY GOODBYE, LOST HEAVEN_

_HOW WE LONGED FOR HEAVEN_

_WE'RE LETTING GO OF SOMETHING WE NEVER HAD_

_TIME GOES SO FAST, HEAVEN IS LOST_

"Ed! Why are you doing this?" the blonde asked, tears rolling down her face. "You have family here. We can help you, you & Al both!"

_Te wo nobashi tsukanda yume wa sotto kuzure yuku suna no shiro_

The blonde boy gazed into his friend's light blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Winry. But I have to. Nothing can get me & Al back to the way we were."

"Then why are you leaving?"

_Tada tachitsukushiteta wakare michi hohoemi wo nokoshite_

"Cause," he answered, "I have to _try._"

& with that, he threw the last torch, & he & his brother walked away for the last time.

_Kieteitta kimi ga egaku rakuen he to_

Leaving the blonde to cry herself to sleep that night.

_WE'LL SAY GOODBYE, LOST HEAVEN_

_HOW WE LONGED FOR HEAVEN_

_WE'RE LETTING GO OF SOMETHING WE NEVER HAD_

_TIME GOES SO FAST, HEAVEN IS LOST_

The girl woke up the next morning to a blaring choo-choo.

_Hitotsu ni narenai ukanda hoshikuzu hitotsu no shuuen ni akai hanataba wo_

"Next stop- Risembool!"

_Kakedashita shisen no saki ga shinkirou de mo_

She was shocked. She had missed Rush Valley all because she was tired! Now she'd have to stay onboard _another_ day.

_WE'LL SAY GOODBYE, LOST HEAVEN_

But suddenly, she saw a sign.

_HOW WE LONGED FOR HEAVEN_

_WE'RE LETTING GO OF SOMETHING WE NEVER HAD_

'Rockbell's Automail.'

_TIME GOES SO FAST, HEAVEN!_

& for some reason, it seemed in her heart better automail than anyone in Rush Valley could _ever _make.

_WE'LL SAY GOODBYE, LOST HEAVEN_

"You think she'll come back?" Jordan asked.

"You think he'll come back?" Winry asked.

_HOW WE LONGED FOR HEAVEN_

The two walked the streets. This time, two not three.

The lone girl sat down at the table.

_WE'RE LETTING GO OF SOMETHING WE NEVER HAD_

His black air blew in the wind as he came to a halt.

Her grandmother put an arm around the girl.

_TIME GOES SO FAST, HEAVEN IS LOST_

"She'll do whatever her heart tells her."

"He'll do whatever his heart tells him."

_I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK_

_I STILL REMEMBER EVERY DAY_

Three wanderers. Three broken families.

To be continued…


	11. Returning

Caroline: Aaaaah! I got 10 reviews! Im SO happy!

Jordan: Yay!

Both: do happy little sokka dance

Caroline: Haaha... probly wondering wut happy lil sokka dance is huh? Well... i dunno what it is either but... I saw it on an icon! I think it was off that Avatar the Last Airbender show but... me not too sure...

Jordan: Ah well... OH YEAH! we have a challenge set up for you readers!

Caroline: YES! YES WE DO!

Jordan: Its at the bottom tho...

Caroline: The challenge depends on the f8 of this fanfic!

* * *

Chapter 11: The Only Sister

A blonde girl sat there, a dog in her lap, staring out the window. She softly stroked the mammal's black hair, a sad, lonely look on her face.

'He can't be serious about leaving, can he? I mean- Ah, Winry, you stupid girl! He has to! Besides, he'll be back soon enough … right?'

Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Winry stood up. "Come on, Den," she whispered to the dog. He followed her to the door. She slowly opened it.

"May I… oh," she stopped, seeing a younger-looking brunette standing at her door.

"Uh… hi," Winry said, waving to her young customer.

The girl smiled & blinked.

"Did you get lost, little girl?" she asked.

She shook her head.

"Uhh…" Winry was confused. A girl _this_ young couldn't have possibly lost a limb.

The girl frowned. "This isn't Rockbell's Automail, is it?"

"Yes," Winry said, confused. "You…. Didn't lose a limb did you?"

"Yes, an arm," the girl answered in the same tone. "You don't run this do you?"

"Yes."

The girls stared at each other for a moment, & at the same time, both pointed at the other & looked very confused.

"You lost an arm!"

"You run this place!" they each yelled at the same time.

"Winry, who are you yelling at?" came a voice.

"Uhh.." Winry looked at the girl. "Please, come in," she said.

The girl wandered in, somewhat unsure of herself.

The three sat down at a table. Plates of food rested everywhere on the table. The brunette's eyes widened happily at the sight of it.

"So…" the old lady, known as Pinako, asked. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

The girl stopped wolfing down the food, & looked up, not even knowing what the question was.

"Nani?" she asked.

It was then that Winry noticed the girl had a resemblance to Ed… even a bit to Al… & began to wonder as well.

"She asked what your name was," Winry replied.

"Oh," the girl smiled. "Caroline."

Winry's eyes sparkled. "Caroline who?"

"Uh," the girl looked down, completely confused. She had never been asked this question before. What was the last name she had read? E…. it had began with an 'e'… E…. Elric! "Elric," she answered. "Caroline Elric."

Winry froze. "Elric?" she wondered. She looked to Pinako, who had a smiling, sly look on her face, knowing something that Winry did not.

After the three had finished, they had taken the girl to get her arm measurements, much to the girl's displeasure.

"Short arms, huh shortstuff?" Winry kidded.

That comment caused the girl to yell & scream at the poor blonde with no mercy whatsoever.

"How long has your arm been in this shape?" Pinako asked.

"About seven months now," the girl answered. She was glad she had not taken this journey four days after the loss, as originally planned; otherwise, she couldn't bear it. She would have died from exhaustion.

"Well," she said. "That'll be all," Pinako said. "Now, off to bed with you. It'll be done in a day or so."

"Thank you," the girl said. The two watched her off.

"Grandma," Winry said, once the girl was gone. "She… she said…"

"I know, Winry," her grandmother answered. "She said her last name was Elric."

"Could… could she be lying?" Winry asked.

Pinako managed a grim look on her face. "It's possible."

Winry frowned. "But… How?" she asked. "Ed & Al never mentioned anything about a-"

"Ever think that Edward couldn't remember, dear?"

"What?" Winry asked.

"Ed was only about two & a half when she was born," Pinako explained. "A child's memory usually starts around three, & even then, it's too foggy to remember a lot of things. Plus, the night their father left, the infant disappeared."

Winry nodded. "I see. But why didn't their mom-"

"She wouldn't want to make herself sad, much less Ed & Al."

"I see," Winry said. "Do you think I should tell Ed?"

Pinako shook her head. "One sibling's enough on Edward's hands."

"But…"

"Don't worry, Winry. The child seems to be doing fine. How else could she have survived for the nine years she was gone?"

Winry smiled. "I guess you're right."

The next morning had arrived. The sun had just began to rise over Risembool when

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Winry ran to the den. "Caroline!" she yelled. What had the girl done? She couldn't have lost another limb, right? She couldn't believe she had been so worried once she arrived at the site.

The girl angrily tried to get the dog off first by trying to talk to it, then trying to shove it off, & finally she resorted to her expertise- yelling & hitting.

"Get off me, you damn mutt!" she yelled.

"Den!" Winry called.

Immediately the dog got up, & left Caroline sitting on the floor, angry & confused.

Winry looked a bit tweeked at the girl's actions. The girl smiled & laughed nervously as she sat up.

"Sorry," she said.

Winry smiled a little, then said "A few more hours, & the automail will be done. Why don't you go find something to entertain yourself?"

"Alright," the girl said, much like a disappointed little child.

She wandered outside, her hands behind her head. She was getting used to having two arms back already. Pinako had given her a fake arm to use until the automail was ready so the girl was free to do whatever she wished. Caroline liked this place. It was quiet, unlike Central, & pretty too. However, her keen sense of smell picked up a strange scent. & as if the child had learned nothing about curiosity, she began to run toward it.

When she came to the source of the smell, she was a bit confused. A small bit of smoke was rising from the wood that lay on the ground. Obviously a house had been burned. She would have liked to investigate it but she began to cough & feel somewhat dizzy, so she turned away, & walked off.

She decided to take a different way to Winry's house, but once she saw what she did, she wished she had just stayed at Winry's house for a few more hours. What she saw… was a grave.

'Trisha Elric.'

The name flashed back & forth through her mind, her eyes wide in confusion. Her mother… was gone too? What… what had happened? Why? How? The questions went through the girl's mind before she crouched down & began to cry.

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch," the girl muttered.

She panted as the Rockbells adjusted her automail.

"I'm sorry, Caroline," Winry said. "But we have to attach each nerve ending to the metal."

"Well, do you have to make it hurt so much?" the girl yelled crankily.

Winry gave the child a soft, understanding smile. "Just bear with us. Only a few more…" she twisted the wrench a little. She thought she saw tears in the girl's eyes. "It's okay to scream if it hurts. You're taking this much better than our older-"

"I don't scream," the girl said. "It doesn't help & all it does is make my throat hurt."

Winry smiled, & continued working.

"Where do you live?" she asked, clearly trying to handle the patient.

"I…. Live…. With…" her mind flashed back to her so-called family. "These two people back in Central…" she said slowly, not even realizing the pain as she spoke. "I've been raised since I was _really_ little. But..." she smiled. "I learned I needed to get out more, so I started this journey for this one thing."

She looked up to the ceiling thoughtfully.

"So…" Winry said curiously. "What _are_ you looking for?"

"This… thing…" she said. "Something called the Philosopher's Stone."

"Think you'll find it?" she asked.

"You kiddin?" the girl asked.

Her eyes filled with determination.

"I _know _I will."

& with that, she gave a laugh only a child could have.

The coat billowed, her hair played in the wind, & her brown eyes sparkled with the determination she had always harnessed. She stared down the two on the steps of the Military HQ.

Two pairs of eyes stared upon her, one black, one blue. Their black hair flowed in the wind. Identical smirks rested upon their faces.

"So, you're finally back, huh?" he asked.

"Hell yeah," the brunette snapped. "After three years of workin my ass off payin for this automail!" she banged on her arm to show them. "_And_," she added. "Going to Central only to find out you," she pointed to Roy, then to Jordan "& Second Lieutenant Bastard aren't there!" she yelled.

"So you know I'm a State Alchemist _already_?" the girl drawled.

The brunette smirked. "That's right," she said. "& that's why I'm here."

"Because you know I'm a State Alchemist?" the girl questioned just to get on the other's nerves.

"No!" the girl yelled. "Cuz _I'm_,"she thrust a thumb to her chest. "gonna become one too!"

Roy smirked.

"Overconfidence, huh?"

The girl smirked. "So are you gonna let me take the exam or not?"

Roy looked at the expression on her face. He looked into her eyes, because if there was one thing he had learned from his parents, it was eyes were windows to the soul. He saw determination. Not just to pass, or to get to one thing. To fix things. Her arm. Her mistakes. Her life. & he smiled.

He turned & continued to walk up the stairs. His sister followed. He stopped once he got a few steps up, knowing the girl at the bottom was waiting for an answer. He looked at her from the corner of his eye.

"We'll see."

The brunette beamed, & began to run behind the two, smiling & laughing.

& Roy knew she hadn't changed a bit.

To be continued...

* * *

**IMPORTANT: IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE THIS FANFICTION READ THIS NOW!**

Caroline: Ok... i kno i asked this WAY earlier in the fanfic but... there is a poll!

Jordan: So far... WHO is ur fave oc in the fanfic?

Caroline: is it ME?

Jordan: or it ME?

Caroline: & y am I ur favorite?

Jordan: If we do not get at LEAST 3 reviews on who ur favorite oc is...

Caroline: I MIGHT JUST nto continue the fanfiction...

Jordan: So as st8d above.. 3 reviews, hoos ur favorite, n y theyre ur fave... or just put ur favorite oc... but wed kinda like 2 kno y 2!

Caroline: MAY THE FORCE BE WITCHA!

Jordan:...wutever


	12. A Promise

Caroline: OK I GOTTA RUSH ON THIS SO….

* * *

Chapter 12: A Promise

The girl sat there, arms at her side & holding her breath.

"What's your name?" the man before her asked.

"Caroline Elric, sir!" she stated, trying to get a 'military' tone of voice.

Roy chuckled to himself as he watched the girl act as a suck-up to the Fuhrer. He saw her glare at him from the corner of her eye.

The man smiled. "You may go," he said to the girl, who saluted, bowed, & walked out of the room. He looked at the Colonel. "Well, Mustang, quite an obedient kid you've found. Any chance she's related to the Fullmetal Alchemist?"

Roy's countenance fell, even as he chuckled at the 'obedient' remark. "Well…" he said. "She… could be. Although," he said. "He's never mentioned a word of a sister, & he's the oldest."

The Fuhrer grinned. "Well, I'm sure it will all work out."

Roy gave a content smile. "Yes sir."

He gave a salute & began to walk out.

"Mustang."

He turned & saluted. "Sir?"

"Tell her she's accepted."

"What?" Roy asked.

"She may take the exam."

Roy nodded. "I'll tell her."

Meanwhile, as a frown lied on his face, he was smiling inside.

"Are you _serious_!"

Roy nodded. "You can take it, kid."

The girl began clapping & yelling loudly. "Alright then!" she yelled. "So… what do I do from here?"

"Are you kidding?" came a voice.

The two looked up & saw Jordan.

"Wh-when did you get here!" yelled Caroline.

"Well, I guess that's for me to know, & you to find out."

"But.. but.."

"You gotta study, shortstuff. It's not easy," she said.

The girl smirked & gave a "Heh.". An overconfident look lied upon her face as she said, "I don't need to study. I already know things that could scare the world." She got up, & pointed a finger in the girl's face. "I'd tell, but if I told either of you, it could turn you into a vegetable. & goddammit, you're still taller than me."

"Well," the girl said smirking. "I can't stay a foot taller than you _forever_, right?"

The brunette began to grumble & walk off, but not without kicking the girl in the knee first.

"& I'm not short," the brunette said, then shut the door, leaving both in the room.

Alone.

Silence came upon the two.

"So, Jordan…" Roy said.

"Do _not_ tell me about your plan when you become Fuhrer," Jordan warned. "I _swear_ I will beat you up if you say it _one more time_."

Roy trembled a little. "I… wasn't going to say anything of the sort."

"Oh," the girl said. "Well in that case, what is it?"

"I've noticed the past year you've been in the militia…" Roy raised an eyebrow. "You've never worn a uniform."

"Yeah?" she said warily. "What of it?"

"You're a second lieutenant," he said. "You need one, quite frankly."

"The Blonde Shrimp doesn't wear one," she said.

"That's cause he couldn't get a rank in the military if he tried," Roy joked. "But seriously, just try one on."

"Whatever," she sighed & walked off. She was back a few minutes later, looking particularly unhappy.

Roy chuckled a little. "Niiiice.." he said.

"This sucks," she said. She took off the coat & threw it at him. She looked down at her own uniform. A black shirt & military pants. "That's much better." She said, & then walked off.

"But… but…" Roy started.

She turned & he flinched from the death glare given to him. "_That's much better_," she repeated.

"Uh… okay," he said.

She continued to glare, then smiled. "See ya, Roy!" & the door slammed.

The brunette wandered the streets of East City. Her eyes examined everything. Everything on the ground, that is. The sidewalk faded under her shoes. It turned to black. Black emptiness. It was her imagination again. One of the many things her mind would come up with once she felt she was alone.

She was thinking about her family for the moment being. She was the last one left, & what kind of honor did she show to the dead by breaking alchemical laws? None. However, she was in a good mood today, & didn't feel the need to dig deeper. She needed to be thankful she had managed to find two people who loved & cared for her well-being, & that she could change what she had done by taking this exam. A wind picked up. That's the way she would show them. She would show her parents, wherever they were, how determined she was, & it would pay off, she swore. She looked up to the sky.

'Mom, dad, I _swear _I'll pass,' she said.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: Woo hoo 12 chaptrs!

Jordan: (all seaty) Oh boy…

Caroline: Wuts up w/ u?

Jordan: Mile… run…

Caroline:…………….

Jordan:………………

Caroline: (singalong voice) HAHAHAHAHA! I don't hav 2!

Jordan: (glare) shut up…

Caroline: I get 2 sit in a _library _typing chapters of this… (smirk)

Jordan: (anime vein) shut up…

Caroline: EVERYDAY 4 2 MONT-

Jordan: (snap)

Caroline: (burns)…………. But ill hav 2 run it anyways in a few months

Jordan: (smirk) correct…

Caroline: ANYWAYS R & R!


	13. The Exam

Jordan: Ha. Ha. Ha. Thanks for running the poll, shrimp. Now we all see how much better _I _am.

Caroline: (sits in a corner, feetle position crying) Shut up.

Jordan: So finally_ I _start off a chapter. (smirks & mutters) First a chapter, next the world!

Caroline: (crying) Nobody likes me….

Jordan: (blinks) Well, we all knew that. _Anyways_… we're coming to an end on the chapters of the past… on… the next chapter or so… Oh well! Let's get started! Oh yes… & thank you **LadyMoon **for your _lovely _review… (mutters) because we all know who's better, right? Oh, & for those of the rest of you, we'll continue the fic but PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAASE submit two more reviews… that is if you vote for Caroline. If we get another review that places me as the better OC…

Caroline: (moans)

Jordan: We'll stop the poll. However, if someone places a vote for Caroline, we need a tiebreaker. & for those that wish to know the ages & everything else about the MAIN characters, 1 of the next few chapters will be character profiles, ok? So let's get started!

* * *

Chapter 13: The Exam

Saturday morning. Birds chirping. Children laughing. Sun shining. Blonde highlights gleamed in her light brown hair as she slept peacefully throughout the

"Yo shrimp, get the hell up!"

Quiet morning.

The girl shot up, her ponytail messed up. The coat she had used for a blanket lied in her lap. She blinked sleepily.

"I am not," she groaned. "What do you want?"

"_Want?_" Jordan asked, her voice turning psychotic. "I don't want anything more than you lying on the floor in a puddle of blood panting, the red substance dripping from your mouth, skin covered in bruises & cuts, clothing ripped, & your mind suffering from defeat as your life comes to a _permanent_ halt." Silence rested between the two for a moment. "That's all."

She watched the girl's expression as she _pretended _not to notice the girl was moving her hands closer together, ready to clap. She laughed.

"Heh," she said. "Just kidding, but really, you _do _know what today is, right?"

"Well, _duh_," she said. "Saturday."

"But what are we doing today?" the girl asked, trying to hint at something.

"Uh…" the girl started. "What _are_ we doing today?"

"Argh!" she grabbed the girl by the collar & shook her violently. "You're taking the exam, baka!"

"The exam!" the girl yelled in disbelief. She shot to her feet. "Are you _serious_!"

"No," the girl replied sarcastically. "Of course not." She returned to shaking her friend. "Now get your ass up if you wanna pass, pipsqueak!"

The brunette sped down the streets of the city as she made her way towards the Military HQ.

'Dammit,' she thought. 'What if they've already begun testing? What am I gonna do? Wait till next-'

Her thoughts came to a cease as she ran smack into a red-clad back. The same symbol that lied on her back was suddenly standing above her as she hit the ground with a thump.

The body turned around.

"Goddamnit," he muttered. "Watch where your-"he stopped, noticing a strange resemblance.

"You're… not… Al," he muttered, caught staring her in the eyes. Eyes he realized were his, just darker.

"Damn right, I'm not Al!" she yelled. "Whoever he is," she muttered. She shot to her feet & punched the boy in the stomach. She began to run forward, & then turned around as she heard a 'clap'. She didn't notice his arm. "& watch what you say to a girl," she added with a feminine tone & flip of her hair.

The blonde watched her as she ran off.

'Something familiar about that girl,' he thought.

"Alchemists ready?"

'Where is she?' Roy thought, his eyes examining each & every alchemist in the room. 'Hmph, maybe she wasn't completely serious about taking the exam. Although… she seemed to want t-'

The doors to the examination room slammed open. A girl with a green coat stood there, panting.

"I'm… here," she said. "I'm ready."

Roy smirked. 'How could I doubt her?'

He was amazed as he looked over the files. "Wow," he said.

"She _passed_?" Jordan asked, sitting on the corner of her brother's desk.

"Yep," he said. "Can't believe it."

"She probably guessed," Jordan said.

"How'd ya know?" he asked.

"She did?" the girl asked. "I was just kidding too!"

He handed her the file. She looked at it with a raised eyebrow.

"You look at the papers," Roy said, amazed that it was _his _sister confused.

"No," she said. "I'm just wondering how bad it could be."

She opened it. The first page looked somewhat okay. The rest of them were covered in crude drawings of Jordan & Roy.

"Yeah…" she said. "Remind me to beat her up later." With that, she tossed the file back to Roy & began to walk out.

"Include me," he said.

A week later the girl woke up early. She put on her coat & walked out into the world, ready to go. She slept as she waited to be called in. Finally she heard her name.

She stood & walked into the room. There stood Roy amongst many others. She waved happily. He said nothing, just gave her a slight smirk. She sighed as she got the same old boring greeting she had gotten all her life. Suddenly a light shone on the middle of the room. She shaded her eyes.

"Welcome, Miss Elric," the Fuhrer said. Her eye twitched at the name. "Please take a seat on the chair." He motioned towards the strange piece of furniture in the middle of the room.

She walked towards it. "It's got three legs. It shouldn't balance," she said, taking each step at a time.

"If you have the skill, it will balance," the Fuhrer said.

The girl nodded. Confidently she sat on the chair. It balanced.

"Now tell us," the Fuhrer said. "Why do you wish to become a State Alchemist?"

"Why?" she said. She looked at her left hand. If she said anything, anything at all, about Human Transmutation, she would be out of here in a heartbeat. "Because…"

She felt eyes stare upon her. She looked up bravely.

"Because I wanna fix something," she gripped her left arm. "That I broke long ago. I made a promise I would."

Days passed, & on Wednesday the final test had begun. The young girl stood amongst many men older than her, confidence lying on her face.

"Hey, sweetheart," said one thug.

"You talkin to me?" she asked, turning around.

"That exam sure wasn't easy, was it?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Heh," she said. "It was okay."

"So tell me," he drawled. "Are you easy to win, beautiful?"

Amidst laughs & taunts, she managed a smile, yet still looked annoyed.

"Not really," she said.

"You sure don't look too hard, babe," he said. "But as they say, the best things come in small packages."

More inputs came from the rest. She nodded, managing that same annoyed smile.

"Don't call me that." she said, annoyance in her voice. "Just leave me alone.

He suddenly put an arm around her & took some money out of his pocket.

"Here, honey, take this, & we'll have some fun after we celebrate my victory, alright?" he whispered, waving a handful of money in his face.

This gained the most attention. She growled, grabbed his hand, & swung him over her shoulder. His back hit the ground hard. She was sure of it. She grabbed him by the collar & managed to get him at least to eye-level with her. She punched him with her right hand, then when swinging back around, slapped him, then repeated. She did this again & again until a voice stopped her.

"That's enough, Miss Elric," the Fuhrer said. "Hit him any longer, & he won't have enough energy to perform."

"Oh…" she said. "Right." She let him go. As he staggered to his feet, she grabbed the money. "Thanks," she said, stuffing it into her pocket. She smiled as she heard the applause. Roy smiled with amusement as he watched her little charade.

It was a while before she stepped up to perform. Before she stepped forward, she reached & clutched something in her left pocket. A stuffed brown paw slipped out. If Jordan or Roy knew her 'good luck charm' was in her pocket, especially at the age she was now, she would die. She walked forward & sat down on her knees.

"Gonna pray to get me back, gir-"

A turn of the head & a glare shut the thug up. She turned back & looked at the ground for a minute, then pulled a photo out of her pocket. She placed it onto the ground. On it was four people. Two was a mother & a father, the mother with brown hair, the father with blonde hair, glasses, & a beard. In the father's arms sat a young boy with blonde hair & gold eyes, & in the mother's sat a baby with brown eyes & the same color hair Caroline had. She had kept this picture ever since she had found that burned-down home back in Risembool as a wish of what she truly wanted.

She closed her eyes, & clapped her hands, then slammed them onto the picture. Blue lightning & sparks flew from the object & suddenly she heard a chorus of

"Amazing…"

"Look at that hot lady!"

"How did she do that?"

She opened her eyes & saw a large hologram of the four running & playing around. IT was almost as if they were alive. After a few minutes the family dispersed into air.

"Well, well, well," the Fuhrer observed. "No array, & quite a show to go with it."

Silence rested among all.

"I think we've got our alchemist."

The girl smiled & looked up to the heavens.

"I told you I'd pass," she said.

Now she was just one step closer to her goal.

To be continued…

* * *

Jordan: Well… we've got to continue sooner or l8r so… get 2 reviewing!

Caroline: I'll try to upd8 2morrow

Jordan: O & remember! Vote on the poll! 1 more 4 me & the poll ends, 1 for Caroline & it shall continue!

Caroline: Shut up, u arrogant bitch!

Jordan: You're just pissed cause no one complimented you…

Caroline: Well……….. maybe just a _tad_…..

Jordan: Ah well. R&R!


	14. Clenched Fists

Caroline: Yawn… Im tired…

Jordan: Im SuGaRhIgH!

Caroline: Yea well… you're not the one who was up till 3 on Friday, 1:04 on Saturday, & 12:45 last nite!

Jordan: CORRECTION- I _was _up till 3 on Friday.

Caroline: Oh… yea… u were, wernt u?

Jordan: --……… Yes.

Caroline: Ah well… hm… Cribs was funn. I got 2 push u out of a house.

Jordan: I kno

Caroline: We need to edit out the part tho whn u filmed me the door aftr that… u kno?

Jordan: Yea..

Caroline: & the part where YOU TRIPPED!

Jordan: --……………………………..dont push it.

Caroline: Ah well, for those of you wondering what Caroline's State Alchemist name is… its the end of this chapter….. & I still don't even know what it is….

Jordan: So lets get 2 it!

* * *

Chapter 14: Clenched Fists

The alchemist yawned as she wandered down the streets.

The black eyes of the man alongside her gazed down upon her.

"Tired?"

"Just a bit," she replied.

Silence rested between the two once more. He noticed a few minutes later, the girl smiled & seemed to be much more cheerful.

"What are you so happy about?" he asked. "Glad that Jordan's gone?" he joked, recalling the mission his sister had been sent out on a day earlier.

She laughed. "Well, that too," she said. "I'm just glad I'm a State Alchemist."

She clenched her fist. "That way…" she muttered. "I can bring back my dad for sure."

Roy looked down on her, his eyes narrowing. The man's good hearing was a family trait. Crap, now he was starting to sound like Armstrong.

"What did you say?" he asked suspiciously.

She looked up, blinking innocently. "What?" she asked.

He grabbed the girl by the collar. "What did you say?" he asked angrily.

"What's it to you?" she retorted angrily. "Let me go _now_, dammit!"

"Are you trying to resurrect your father _again_?" he asked, his eyes burning with anger.

She clenched her fists, trying to restrain from punching the man in front of her. "Yeah? So what? I'll get it right this time now that I'm a State Alchemist!"

He shook her just a bit. "Don't you understand? You'll never get it right, State Alchemist or not! That's why it's forbidden!"

"So what do you care if I try it or not?" she yelled.

"Because…" he said. "Because I made a promise I would protect you." The girl growled as she struggled to break free. "& I'm sorry if you don't like it!"

She finally broke free of the man's grip & jumped to her feet.

"Yeah, well," she said. "I can protect myself."

Before she could run off, a hand grabbed her by the arm. She turned & glared at Roy angrily.

"You're not going anywhere," he said as calmly as he could. "You're still just a child."

The girl broke free once again, but this time, punched her guardian. He stumbled back a little, but remained on his feet, trying to restrain from snapping his fingers.

The girl walked a few steps backward, making sure Roy wasn't going to stop her, & then ran off into the night.

A half hour later, the girl was around ten or fifteen blocks from where she started. She began to feel a bit guilty.

'What… what if… I was too… hard on him?' she thought. 'He was only trying to help…' She looked up to the stars, then down, her eyes closed, & gave a 'huff', her breath showing in the cold air.

"He deserved it," she said aloud. "He doesn't need to get involved in my problems."

'But still…' she thought. She thought for a moment, just standing there, then she turned around smiling.

"Ha! I'll go back & give him the cold shoulder! I won't speak to him till he _begs_ for my forgiveness!" she turned her back on the alley beside her, not even thinking how unlikely it would be to have a 29 year old beg for a teenager's forgiveness.

Suddenly, a pair of arms reached out & grabbed the girl, one hand covering her mouth the other pulling her into the alley. Before she realized what was happening, she was thrown to the very end of the alley. She gritted her teeth from the pain of hitting her spine with the brick behind her. She looked up from the ground.

"Who… the hell are you & what do you want?" she asked, looking to the darkness for answers.

A figure stepped forward. "Hey, beautiful, it's me again."

She realized the voice. "Look," she said as calmly as she could. "I'm not into you _or_ your sick little games, so unless you wanna get hurt, beat it."

"Oh, is that so?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Well… I don't think we'll be the ones getting hurt here."

Four figures stepped out of the darkness behind him. One, a dirty-blonde girl, maybe 3 or 4 years older than her. Another, a man with light brown hair somewhere around his mid-20's. The other one was bald & a bit on the heavy side, looking around 30 or older, & the oldest one looked around 40, but had a thin gray beard & red bandanna. The man who was apparently in love with Caroline was at least 30 as well, & could've possibly been the bald one's twin. They were all wearing black or gray so they wouldn't be easy to see.

The girl glared at their leader. "I've beat you once, & I'll beat you again, now get your ass outta here before I decide to tear you all to pieces."

"Tear, huh?" the youngest boy said.

At that moment, each of them pulled out at least 1 knife. Some had less than others, but they were still knives. Every shape & size too. Pocketknives, switchblades, cleavers, kitchen knives, & other types as well. The girl gulped. The odds of beating five tough-looking fighters who wore dark clothing & carried knives was pretty low. She could probably escape & kick some ass along the way, but if that didn't work, she could go full throttle too… but just try not to kill anyone. She noticed a spot open between the man's legs & went for it. She dived, & tried to make it but was stopped by a line of pain.

She turned & noticed a hand holding a bloody knife right above her back. She saw a line of blood & a tear in her coat where a knife would've cut. Apparently, the man had made a minor cut in her back.

"You're not goin anywhere, shrimp," he said.

She panted a bit from the pain, then switched to lying on her back. She quickly kicked one of her legs up, aiming right for-

"Goddammit!"

Score! That knocked the man to the ground, right where she had been before she had used the power from her legs to back roll straight to her feet.

She turned, & saw the rest running at her with knives. She threw one over her shoulder, & made the other two butt heads. She faced the girl who stood there, her brown eyes meeting the cold green ones.

"You're pretty tough for a little girl," she said calmly.

"I'm… not short!" she said, still panting. She hadn't gotten scraped up too badly, but she thought while she was taking care of them, she got a few knife cuts as well.

'Gotta be more carerful,' she thought. 'Can't lose too much blood.'

The older girl put up her knife. The brunette blinked, confused. Was she going to let her go?

"I'd rather use the better weapon," the girl said.

At that moment, she pulled out a sword.

'Crap…' the girl thought. 'That's gonna be a hell of a lot harder to dodge.'

_A three-year old rushed across the backyard, swinging wildly. The four-year old dodged every move, but then… the sword slipped out of her hands. The toddler smirked._

"_Now you're done for!" she swung back for the final strike._

_The girl caught the blade between her hands._

"_What the-"_

_Just then, the brunette was kicked right at the ankles. Her legs caved in, & she fell to her knees. She sat there, & began to cry over her defeat. The darker-haired one stood up & offered her a hand. The girl looked up, tears & confusion in her eyes._

"_You're not holding the sword right. You're swinging much too wildly. & you're acting out with rage. Transfer your anger into strength," she said. "But most of all, you'll never be a good warrior if you just use one weapon. Now get up & try again."_

_The brunette nodded & took her hand. She stood up._

"_Thank you, aneue."_

That was the first time the two ever got along. & the first lesson Caroline had learned the hard way. & she was getting ready to learn it that way again if she didn't follow it.

She was using only her fists & her feet against a sword. That's it! A sword!

She clapped her hands, & praying that it would work, transmuted her automail into a sword. She did somewhat well with the sword. Practicing with Jordan really paid off. She would win this. Just like she always did. However, an ego could become her downfall.

Just then, a sharp, horrible pain sliced across her stomach. A drip of blood trickled down her cheek. She staggered back a few feet.

"Goodbye, pipsqueak," the girl said.

The girl realized what she meant, & turned around as fast as she could, & then…

A bloodcurdling scream ejected from the youngest man's mouth. He fell straight to the ground, blood spurting from his stomach. She had cut his stomach wide open… maybe worse. The other girl rushed straight to him. Caroline realized her path was clear. She could run away now. But her legs wouldn't move.

'What… what have I done?' she thought.

"Nii-san! Nii-san!" the girl started shaking her older brother, trying to get him up, but he wouldn't get up.

'Have I… have I…'

The girl turned. Her green eyes cut daggers through the brunette's pain-ridden ones. Suddenly arms grabbed the young girl & held her against a wall.

'What… what are they going to do now?' she thought her mind full of fear. She hadn't felt this way since… that night.

The girl stood in front of Caroline.

"You _killed_ my brother," she said coldly.

The brown eyes gazed over him. He was still breathing, but there was no reason to state that, as it was questionable whether he would live to the next morning. She slowly looked back to the girl in front of her.

"You've already lost a fair amount of blood haven't you, girl?" she asked.

The brunette realized the cold, hard truth of it. She was already getting dizzy, & she couldn't fight much longer. She gulped.

'Am… am I going to die?'

"Let's see…" she said. "Your left arm is made of metal so if we cut off this right one…"

Caroline gasped as she got the point the girl was trying to make.

"Hold her against the wall," she ordered the men.

The girl's arms were gripped tighter & she watched her enemy pull out her sword. She felt a slight pressure where the girl held her blade to Caroline's right arm.

"One..."

'This is it,' the girl thought. 'I'm gonna die… right here. Roy…'

"Two…"

'I'm… sor-'

"Get... the… hell… away from her."

All heads turned to the entrance of the alley. & there stood the girl's protector.

The men loosened their grip, prepared to take the man on. The brunette dropped to her knees.

"What's she to you?" the girl asked, pulling her sword to her side.

"She's…"

Caroline watched. What if he walked off now? She had hurt him so much. Let him down so many times. What would he say? What _could _he say?

"She's my sister."

Caroline blinked. A… sister? That's… how he really thought of her?

The girl gave a 'heh'. "Well, _your_ sister killed _my_ brother."

That's true, Caroline thought. Now what would he say of his 'sister'?

"She had all the most reason to," Roy stated calmly.

The men & the girl rushed toward him, obviously offended by his comment. Caroline closed her eyes as she felt the heat on her face. They were all blown to the ground as the fire struck them. She stayed on her knees until she heard footsteps grow louder & louder & then the stopped. She looked up. Roy blinked. She expected him to yell at her, or give her the cold shoulder.

"You okay?"

She blinked,& then looked down.

"I'm sorry."

"I guess that's a 'no' then," he said. He picked her up, letting blood stain his gloves once again.

She put her arms around his neck as he carried her home.

"Roy," she said. "I'm… I'm sorry I yelled at you. I won't try it again. Promise."

He smiled warmly. "Forget it," he said.

Once they were home, he began to bandage her wounds.

"You were brave tonight," he said.

"No I wasn't,' she said honestly. "I was scared. I was only fighting because I didn't wanna die."

"Well, I know you fought your hardest," he said.

She nodded.

"Give me your hands," he suddenly said.

"What?" she asked.

"Just give me your hands."

She hesitated but put her hands in his.

"Now…" he said. "You can take everything you have, & you can close them up." He closed her hands. "_Or _you can open them, & let everything you have go." With that, he left the room, turning out the light.

The girl sat there, the moonlight shading her face. She realized she had taken her whole life with her hands open, but now… now was the time to close them.

She was going to lie now with clenched fists, for she was the Forsaken Alchemist.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: Wow… I didn't come up w/ that till a minute ago…

Jordan: Good 4 u

Caroline: James said it should be 'The Paper Alchemist'

Jordan: James sucks.

Caroline: Tyler sucks.

Both: YOU SUCK!

Caroline: Haha… not u readers… yall rule… unless u suck… haha jk!

Jordan: 1 MORE CHAPTER 2 GO B4 WE END THE FLASHBACKS!

Caroline: Yea… & I aint 2 sure if im gonna do a chaptr on character pfs now… maybe.. maybe not.. anyways R&R!


	15. Brother

Caroline: ok the flashbacks come to an end now! At the end of this chapter, Ed & Caroline would have met! In the normal setting of the story, it's 3 months after they met so…. It says that the end of the chapter…

Jordan: So me, Roy, Caroline, Ed, Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, Kagome, & Shippo are fixin to start our journey!

Caroline: however... BEWARE-that this chapter involves a very pissed Jordan (aka: the word dangerous in a human body), an alchemist's mind affected by the desert, loud yelling & fast talking, & enduring Caroline torture!

Jordan:…………………………………WOOHOOO!

Caroline:…Oh joy…

Jordan: WELL THEN LETS GET ON WITH IT!

Caroline: u hav been warne- (pulled off by a certain black-haired meanie)

* * *

Chapter 15: Brother

Caroline's dreams ended as she felt her own arm across her face, the blazing sun, & hot sand on her back. It _could _be paradise, if it wasn't the fact that it was the goddamn desert. & if that wasn't enough, an annoying tapping near her ribs. She let it continue for a few moments, her eye twitching as she tried to get back to sleep.

"Hey."

Oh no. She had been in the desert entirely too long. Now she was hearing voices… & not the ones of the little angel & devil of her conscience. But then it hit her. The hunger. That's what had affected her. She had not eaten for 2 days. This _thing _pecking her was a vulture, trying to tear off her skin, gnaw on the muscle, rip out her arteries, & poke holes in her organs. Yes, yes… that was it.

'Well, birdy, let's see who gets eaten first…' she thought.

The girl's brown eyes flamed with insanity as she lunged for the creature. She grabbed it, bit it, & tried to tear off its wing with her teeth only to realize...

It was a shoe. & not just anyone's shoe…

She gulped as her eyes looked upwards. There stood a very familiar smirking face.

"Hi Jordan," she mumbled, the shoe still in her mouth.

Suddenly the foot slipped out of her mouth & pushed down on her back.

"Ah, the Forsaken one," she said, teasing the child. "Never expected to meet up with you like this, bowing at my feet & all."

The oppositions of the girl were muffled as her face lied in the sand.

"Sorry," the girl said. "You must've gotten lost between the tiny grains of sand. I couldn't hear you."

Clearly, she was intent on torturing the hushed girl.

"What was that?" she asked. "Finally admitting your undying love for Roy?"

She removed her foot for this one.

"IamnotinlovewithRoywhatsoveryoulittlebitchIwouldneverbowatanyone'sfeetespeciallyyours&IamnotsoshortthatIdon'tcomeintocomparisonwithafireant!"

The girls stood opposite each other. The taller one blinked as the girl panted from yelling so much in such a short amount of time. Although, she knew it was completely useless to have yelled that so fast, as no human on earth could've understood that.

"Well, quite frankly, I was kidding about Roy. You _are_ short, so get over it, inari. & like it or not," she pulled the girl down to the ground. "You _were _& _are _bowing at _my _feet," she said, & with a laugh added "Of all the people."

Except for Jordan that is...

The brunette stood up.

"So what did you want?" she asked, obviously aggravated.

Suddenly the black-haired girl began laughing. She couldn't stop. Apparently, it must've been the funniest thing she had ever seen, whatever it is.

"What is it?" Caroline asked.

"You know what?" the girl asked. Caroline thought she was trying to change the subject but shrugged.

"Iono," she said. "What?"

"I've got a new nickname for ya, inari!" she said.

"As long as it's not that!" she growled.

"Caroline the Red-Nosed Shrimp!" she yelled.

The brunette growled, but realized more importantly her nose had turned red in some way…. Oh no. Sunburn. Hughes gave it to her, Riza advised her to wear it, & Roy just gave her the mission to this stupid place. Caroline _never _got sunburned, just a _little _sun every now & then. This wasn't fair. Jordan was supposed to get sunburned. Jordan! Jordan! Jordan! & look who'd be the talk of the military…

She sighed & sat down in the sand, lying on her back once more.

"Alright, joke's over," Jordan said. "Now get up, baka."

"No."

The girl was somewhat surprised she disagreed. "Get. Up."

"No thank you."

"I'll get you court-marshaled for disobeying orders," she threatened.

"I shall lie in the sand forever."

Jordan had a problem on her hands. She could always just snap her fingers, but the girls _were _in a desert already. She came up with a plan within a few short minutes.

"Caroline, dearest sister," the girl's eye twitched with every word.

The girl's eyes fixed upon her elder & blinked. "Ni?" she asked.

"Could you show me how you transmute your super cool arm into a sword?" she asked, smiling & cheerful. "Cause it's _so _awesome & all! You have to be the _greatest _alchemist of all time."

Caroline blinked, her eyes filling with tears of joy as she finally got praise from the Second Lieutenant. "You really think?"

She was so oblivious when she received praise. She was _definitely _a dog in her past life, Jordan thought as the brunette threw her arms around her, crying tears of joy. Hey, & she was only to her shoulders. Damn, she thought she was at _least _taller than that.

"Yes, yes, now show me already!" the black-haired girl ordered, growing impatient & losing her temper as the brunette had given her that unwanted hug.

Caroline cleared her throat as she backed a few steps back. 'Showoff,' Jordan thought. 'Always acting so official, yet only equal to the ranks of a major. That's Caroline for ya.'

"I shall now demonstrate how I renovate or, better known to alchemists, _transmute, _my automail into a device of weaponry."

Jordan chuckled as the girl struggled to make up big words, trying to gain more attention for herself. Like _she _was impressed. She watched as the girl clapped, & blue lightning flashed as she pulled her hands apart, revealing a short sword on her left arm.

"See?" the girl showed, pointing like a child points to the 'accident' he left on the floor. "That's how!"

Jordan smirked as the girl inwardly _begged_ for praise. She had done it. She had spotted, deceived, & captured the enemy. & now it was time to shoot her down.

"Oh," she said. "I thought it was much more complicated than that."

"H-huh?" the brunette asked naively.

"The sword & all," the girl said. "I thought it would be so much more…"

"Yes?"

"Complicated," she said. "Frankly it's only a type of sword people in the medieval age used. You swing it around, no control whatsoever. It takes no skill at all to manage."

"What do you mean?" the girl asked. The dog's tail had stopped wagging.

"I mean…" she said, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "_Any _idiot can use it."

The girl's tears of joy were now gone, & had transformed into tears of a broken spirit. She slumped to her knees, her arm returning to its normal form. Jordan grabbed the girl's hood, & began to walk off, girl in tow.

Ed looked at Roy.

"I have the distinct feeling you're lying to me," he accused.

"I can assure you, Fullmetal, I am not lying."

"How could I have a sister & not know it, Mustang?"

"Ed, it's possible," Al said.

"Al, come on!"

Roy yawned. "Ed, it's late," he said. "Just think it over, & I'll see you here tomorrow."

Al walked out obediently, bowing his head just before walking out. Ed stood up & began to leave, then turned to Roy.

"Colonel?" he asked.

"Yes, Fullmetal?"

"Does she… know he's alive?"

Roy narrowed his eyes. "No, Ed. She does not know of him," he said. "I admit, I thought he was dead until I got the notice, but she was still in Risembool at the time."

"I see," the blonde said after a moment.

"Edward."

Ed looked. Roy never called him by that, unless it was serious.

"Sir?"

"I advise you not to tell her," he said. "She can't stand to be abandoned, & if she learns…"

Ed looked him in the eyes.

"She's a piece of glass, Ed. A work of art that looks strong. Look at her, & you'll see straight through her, but if you're not careful, she'll break easily. & she won't be easy to put back together."

Ed nodded, understanding.

"I'll see you three tomorrow then."

The black-haired one noticed the brunette had been somewhat quiet for a while. She turned & noticed the girl was asleep, a thumb in her mouth. Oh, this piece of blackmail would never go unused.

Ed awoke with a rude shaking.

"Nii-san! Nii-san!"

"What is it?" Ed grumbled.

"The Colonel called. He said to be in his office around nine."

"What time is it now?"

Al paused. "8:30."

There was a silence between the two, then "Tell him I'll be there before ten."

Ed grumbled as he walked into Roy's office. "You're late," he informed.

"So what if I care?" Ed retorted. "To me this is still midnight."

Roy chuckled. "You & your sister both, huh?"

For the next two hours, Roy teased Ed with his sad attempt of his latest mission, Lior.

"Shut up!" Ed snapped. "I had to walk across an endless desert with a-"

The door burst open. A very, _very _pissed Jordan stood within it.

"What… what's she doing here?"

Roy was so scared he couldn't manage an answer, & Ed wasn't surprised either.

"Don't… ever… send me there… _again_!" she yelled.

Roy & Ed gulped as she advanced.

"Do you know _how_ many miles I walked, dragging _her_?" She held up a gagged, brown-haired girl who was still flailing, hands tied behind her back by her hood for each to see.

"Uh, can we discuss this later?" Roy tried to reason.

"No… we can not discuss this later," the girl argued, anger & annoyance dripping from her voice.

A few muffled sounds came from the girl Jordan had sat down after 'displaying' her to both people. She finally noticed Ed sitting there.

"Oh yes," she said. "The _reason _why I had to do this."

"Uh," Ed held up a hand. "I didn't ask to meet my sister, wherever she is."

More gagged screams & gestures. Jordan sat down on the edge of Roy's desk, contemplating a way to get her brother back later.

"That's… her." Roy pointed.

Silence rested. Ed remembered running into her on the street long ago. No wonder they had such a resemblance.

"Why is she… gagged?"

"Let's just say she's determined to… be _very _talkative."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "Determined?"

"Very much so," Roy said. "She's stubborn."

"Strong-minded."

"Resolute."

"Gritty."

"Single-minded."

"Unwavering."

"Firm."

Jordan grinned. "Dogged."

"Indomitable."

"Obstinate."

"Tenacious."

"Persistent."

"Immova-"

"Okay, okay! I get the picture!" Ed waved his hands, trying to get the two to stop. He walked over, removed the gag & untied the rope.

"Who… who are you?" the girl asked.

"I'm…" Ed started.

The two Mustangs stared along as Ed introduced himself to his new companion. She blinked innocently.

"Your big brother."

He hugged her, knowing the three Elrics would travel alongside each other endlessly searching for the Philosopher's Stone, or die trying.

& that's how the journey began… on March 29, 1914.

Ed looked at his little sister, peacefully asleep as a Japanese midnight breeze played with her light brown hair. He picked her up & carried her back to the group, recalling the day they met each other 3 months ago.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: Ah I'm tired. I wrote 3 things 2day (new fic- The Outlaw Alchemist, ch14, & this) & I gotta get 2 skool 2morro & post this the library. I seriously _needed _the labor day holiday except I stayd up till 3 on Friday, 1:04 on Saturday, 12:45 last nite, & now its 11:41 so Jordan u don't get 2 comment…

Jordan: aww….

Caroline: HEY WAIT NO FAIR! U JUST COMMENTED!

Jordan: ha in ur face!

Caroline: (collapses of exhaustion)

Jordan: (stares & pokes with foot)………….ah well.. R&R!


	16. Two Sides

Caroline: Hey guys!

Jordan: Wuts up?

Caroline: Ive finally reached 20 reviews!

Jordan: Woo hoo!

Caroline: & I FINALLY GOT A VOTE!

Jordan: So?

Caroline: So anyways… I need help…

Jordan: Well we all knew that…

Caroline: -- Thats _not _wut I meant….

Jordan: Well… u do…

Caroline: Anyways I need just ONE review 2 help me out 4 a furthr chaptr… if u were 2 put 2 characters together (1 from the inu cast, 1 from the fma cast) hoo would u put? NOT AS A COUPLE OR ANYTHING but like… just pair 2 characters together… the 1s that act most like the other…? Get it?

Jordan: like wutevr character u think acts most like inuyasha, pair them up with him… same with the others…

Caroline: PLEEEEEAZ HELP WITH THIS! I WILL GIVE U THE CREDIT IF U HELP ME OUT HERE!

Jordan:……………desperate.

Caroline: Nuh uh! Im just tryin 2 let the readers hav a voice 2!

Jordan: wutevr..

Caroline: o… & yall I KNO Jordan agrees w/ me on this but PLLLLLEAZ PRAY 4 THE VICTIMS OF KATRINA… PLEAZ

Jordan: & THE ANIMALS 2!

Both: (sniffle)

* * *

Chapter 16: Two Sides 

"Caroline…"

The girl moaned.

"It's time to get up."

The pictures of a transmutation circle & splattered blood faded from the girl's mind as the image of her golden-blonde brother smiling down on her appeared. The image became clearer as her brown eyes fluttered open.

"What… what time is it?" she asked.

Three pocket watches dangled in her face immediately. Her eyes studied each of them.

"Okaaaaaay…" she said slowly, shifting her eyes over each detail. "8:30… 8:31… Ed, yours is off by 4 hours," she scolded.

She heard her brother grumble as each of the pocket watches disappeared from her vision. He began to fiddle with it, obviously trying to fix it. Kagome was packing all of her things into her backpack far off, Shippo helping her. Sango was keeping a careful watch on Miroku, & Inuyasha was keeping his eyes somewhere in the distance.

Roy began to stretch his arms toward the sky, getting ready for the days work. He blinked as he looked up at the clouds.

"Huh?"

"What is it?" Jordan asked.

She looked up, copying her older brother. In the sky hovered a medium-sized insect.

"What the hell _is _that?" she asked.

"Watch your mouth," Roy scolded. "But… it looks like a wasp."

"Huh?" the two Elrics asked, looking up at the sky.

"Good god," Caroline said, jumping to her feet, ready to fight it. "That thing's huge!"

"What are you guys looking at?" Kagome asked.

"One of Naraku's wasps!" Inuyasha exclaimed, gaining everyone's attention. His hand was on the hilt of his sword, ready to destroy the menace. He lunged toward it.

"I got it!" Caroline said, running for it. "Niisan! Heads up!"

"Huh?" he started, turning around. Too late. The girl had run up her brother's back, using it as a ramp to 'take off'.

"Tetsusaiga!" Inuyasha yelled, beginning to pull out his sword.

The girl clapped her hands, & began to pull them apart when…

"GAH!"

The two slammed together, forming a head-on-collision.

Sango's eyes twitched, a bit annoyed at the two's stupidity. She grabbed her weapon.

"Hiraikotsu!" she yelled, hurling her boomerang towards the insect.

Within a minute, the insect was destroyed. She caught the boomerang, & smiled, proud of her early morning accomplishment.

"Good job, Sango!" Kagome yelled, clapping her hands, taking no care to notice the hanyou who was eating dirt.

"You okay, kid?" Roy asked, the two Mustangs checking on the girl who lay on the ground. Ed tried to crawl over to her, his back throbbing from pain.

"I think I got a nosebleed," was what they thought she said.

The half demon jumped up.

"Why'd ya do that?" he yelled, pointing in the girl's direction.

The 'horribly injured girl' jumped up to her feet, ready to take him on, blood running from her nose. She wiped it away with her sleeve.

"_You're _the one that started this, baka!"

"Don't call me a baka, you baka!" he yelled.

"I'll call you whatever I wanna!" she retorted.

The two resorted to wrestling with each other, & Inuyasha was just about to strangle the girl when…

"Inuyasha! Sit boy!"

The demon flew to the ground.

Caroline massaged her throat, giving a 'Hmph' to the defeated demon. She rubbed her nose, feeling a bit of pain.

"Caroline," Kagome said.

The brunette was called to attention, her brown eyes wide.

"Come here," the girl said kindly. "We'll stop that nosebleed, ok?"

The girl nodded embarrassingly, & walked over.

Kagome & Sango began applying cold water to the girl's nose, trying to slow the bleeding. The girl held her nose.

"Is this your first nosebleed?" Kagome asked.

"Uh… no," the girl said. "I don't get em often though."

It was silent for a minute.

"Ouch," she said.

"What's wrong?" Sango asked.

"It's just… I have a sensitive nose," she said.

Kagome laughed. "Just like another in our group."

The girl nodded. "But… I think it's affecting me… I mean, I… I feel so… dizzy."

"It's natural," Sango said, waving a hand as if trying to wave the child's worries off.

The girl blinked, & nodded.

'I wonder… if these images are natural too,' the girl wondered, as pictures of an unfamiliar blonde- bearded man appeared, along with flashing images of brown eyes dilated in fear, strange-looking black-clothed people, mixed in with splattered blood, transmutation circles, & heavy breathing.

The group went on getting ready for their day, not even taking notice of the wasp lying in a nearby tree.

"So," the man said. "That's the girl, huh?" Black curly hair framed his face, his red eyes having a certain… glint to them, giving him a creepy look as he stared into a mirror smirking, held by a small white-clad child.

"Reckless, isn't she?" asked a beautiful lady leaning against the doorframe. Her curly, long black hair rested on her shoulders.

A 'heh' came from the teenager standing beside her.

"I told you," he said, his long black hair coming down to at least his waist. "Just like her brother, & their bastard father."

"Can I eat her?" a heavier, black-clad man asked.

A beautiful demon female leaning against another doorframe sighed.

"Is that all you ever think about?" she asked, annoyed.

"No, Gluttony," the boy said. "You can't eat her. Not… yet at least," he added.

"Abandonment," the boy suddenly said, turning around. "You're doing as told, correct?"

A girl who looked a bit younger, with lifeless looking brown eyes looked up slowly. Stringy light brown hair hung around her face. She looked as if she was an outlaw having just been captured, her arms suspended to the wall by chains. Tatters of black clothing lay on her. She nodded.

"Envy," the beautiful, curly-haired woman said. "I think we can trust her by now. Look at the pain in the girl's eyes."

The boy known as Envy looked closer into the mirror, seeing the horrid look in the girl's eyes as the team walked in the forest.

He smirked.

"As long as she's tortured," he said.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: Oohh CrEePy! 

Jordan: --

Caroline: omg i cookd something 2nite!

Jordan: oo & it didn't kill anyone?

Caroline: PoIsoN fREE!

Jordan:……………..good job.

Caroline: I KNO!

Jordan: Neways… if ur happy 4 Caroline, review!

Caroline: & don't 4get… PLEAZ HELP ME OUT!


	17. Traveling To Tokyo

Caroline: WOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Jordan: --…………. (sweatdrop)

Caroline: I MADE 100 ON MY PREALGEBRA TEST!

Jordan:……………_alrite_

Caroline: I kno… I mite get 2 go 2 miyakos 2nite…

Jordan: kool.

Caroline: if no1 knos wut miyakos is… it's a Japanese restaurant down the street.

Jordan: yep...

Caroline: I BEG 2 DREAM N DIFFER FROM THE HOLLOWED EYES THIS IS THE DAWNING OF THE LAST OF OUR LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVES

Jordan:………..wut?

Caroline: srry.. (sweatdrop) commercial came on.

Jordan: ah… commercials... I don't like em.

Caroline: haha.. don't we all?

* * *

Chapter 17: Traveling to Tokyo 

Inuyasha looked at the sky. Everyone was asleep.

'Tomorrow's the night,' he thought. 'The New Moon… the cursed night where all my weaknesses are exposed…'

"Inuyasha…"

'Except for one.'

Kagome sat beside him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

He frowned & looked up at the sky. "Tomorrow's the night."

"Oh," she said. "It's that time of month, huh?"

"Yep," he said, suddenly hearing a giggle. When he turned his head, he heard nothing, saw nothing. He turned back. "Kagome, would you do me a favor?"

"What is it?" she asked.

"I wanna make sure that loudmouth doesn't find out," he said coldly.

"Who?" Kagome asked. "Caroline?"

"Well, yeah!" he said. "Think of what would happen if _she _found out!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome tried to reason. "She's _not _as much as a loudmouth as you think she is! In fact, she kinda reminds me of you."

"I'm sure," he said sarcastically.

"Really," Kagome said softly. "Do you _know _what she's been through?"

He frowned. "I wasn't paying attention. It's her past, not mine."

Kagome gave him a pained look, then got up & turned away.

"You need to stop judging people, Inuyasha. & plus," she turned her head. "Your past is my story."

Caroline pulled on Jordan's sleeve.

"Jordan," she whispered. "Jordan, psst… Did you hear that?"

"Yeah," the girl said, rolling over. "What do you think he meant by that time of the month?"

The brunette giggled. "Maybe he's a girl in disguise."

The younger Mustang hit the girl in the head.

"Baka, that's not it," she said. "You're so immature."

The girl rubbed her head. "We're gonna find out, right?" the brunette asked.

& in the silence of a Japanese midnight Jordan gave the girl her trademark expression, & the brunette returned the smirk with a smile.

"Okay, guys!" Kagome said cheerfully. "We're gonna travel to my time!"

The four blinked. "Why?" the all asked.

"What the hell?" Caroline yelled. "I thought you said we couldn't get through!"

Kagome waved her hands, trying to get the child to calm down.

"Relax," she said. "We can get through to my time by another well not too far off from here!"

Jordan noticed something suspicious. "I'm staying here," she said stubbornly. She nudged Caroline.

"Ow!" Caroline yelled. "What the hell was that for, bitch?"

'We're staying here,' Jordan mouthed.

"But I wanna go to the future!" Caroline responded, the rest looking at the two oddly.

Jordan sighed. No point in trying to stay, as Caroline would ruin it all.

"So when do we go?"

"When will you be back, Kagome?" Shippo asked as the five stood by the well.

Sometime tomorrow," she answered.

"If _some _people behave," Roy muttered.

"Hey!" Ed & Caroline yelled leaving the other teenager to stand there with crossed arms.

"Okay guys," Kagome said. "Let's go."

The five jumped down & soon they were walking the streets of Tokyo.

"What a popular place."

"So this is what the future's like."

"The buildings sure are tall."

"Taller than you, eh Fullmetal?"

"Shut up."

The two girls walking behind the rest suddenly stopped.

"Look at that," Caroline said in awe.

Jordan looked up at the banner hanging over the entryway.

"Skate… board sale…" the girl said slowly. She turned to the younger girl. "What's a skateboard?"

"I don't know, but that… cell phone looks pretty cool."

"So do those shoes!"

"& that… MP3 player!"

"& those com… puters!"

"& that shirt!"

The two looked at each other maniacally.

"Let's go shopping!" they yelled gleefully.

The two skipped in happily, arm-in-arm into this… mall.

"Kagome!"

The two boys's leader was suddenly attacked by a trio of loud, giddy teenage girls.

"Where have you been?"

"Are you feeling better?"

"What are you doing out in the streets with cancer?"

"Oh, I'm…" Kagome started. "Fine! Just fine! The neurosurgeon told me the cancer has just disappeared!"

"Neurosurgeon?"

"I thought a neurosurgeon was a guy who worked on nerves, not cancer."

"She didn't have cancer!"

The girls turned to the braided blonde.

"Kagome!" one squealed. "Is this some American boyfriend of yours?"

"American?" Ed growled as one of the girls began to hug him. "I'm not American!"

Kagome blushed furiously, the thought of the hyperactive blonde being her _boyfriend._

"Uh… no!" Kagome yelled, waving her hands. "I was just… showing him around the city… yeah that's it! Always be kind to your neighbors, I say!" she yelled.

Suddenly one of the girls began squealing.

"What is it?" they all said, mistaking her squeal of joy for a scream of horror.

"So this is him!" she yelled latching to Roy.

"Wow, Kagome, he _is _mysterious," another girl said walking over towards him. "How did you _ever _find such a perfect-looking guy?"

"Well, I take care of myself," Roy said, liking the attention.

The girl hugging Edward suddenly began to notice Roy. She compared one to the other, & finally let go of Ed.

"Sorry, shrimpo," she said. "But Kagome's _real _boyfriend is much cuter than you."

Ed blushed furiously. Roy smirked.

"I'm not a shrimp!" he yelled. "& damn you, Mustang!"

"Cmon, Kagome!" the girls said five minutes later, after obsessing over Roy. "Let's go get something to eat."

"But I-"

"You can't resist…" One of the girls said, smiling & pulling Kagome away from her 'boyfriends'.

Ed & Roy sighed.

"Jordan & Caroline sure were quiet," Roy said after a minute or so.

"Yeah," Ed agreed. "I half expected them to start laughing."

The two turned around smiling & then…

"Where are Caroline & Jordan!"

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: ah… the weird adventures in tokyo. 

Jordan: these should b intresting chaptrs

Caroline: oh they will Jordan… they will…


	18. Troublemakers

Caroline: ah… I g2g 2 bed im so tired… aren't I so generous tho? posting 2 chaptrs im writing currently rite now 12:31 midnite… I cant post Sunday cuz ill b a baby showr n church w/ Meghan n Jordan n mazie so…

* * *

Chapter 18: Troublemakers

The girls wandered in the mall. Some were looking at the two a little oddly. It could have been the fact that Jordan kept throwing evil glares at any stores clerk who annoyed her, or the fact that Caroline, as random sense of humor the girl had, kept sitting down in the middle of the walkway, just _begging _for attention, or it could have been the overall atmosphere of the two.

As the two walked, Jordan with a skateboard over her shoulder, & Caroline, headphones in her ears, they suddenly heard a loud growling noise. Jordan looked at Caroline, raised eyebrow.

"Caroline hungry," the brunette stated.

"Me too," the black-haired girl replied. "Let's fins somethin around this craphole that _has _food."

The two began walking towards the food court. Suddenly, Caroline had an idea.

"Jordan," she said, her voice serious.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I just had the world's bestest idea ever," she said.

"I'm sure you did, genius."

"No seriously! What if we got a job at…" the girl's brown eyes scouted for something interesting looking. "Chickfilae!"

"Why there?" the Mustang asked.

"_Because_," Caroline said, obviously _very _serious about this. "I want food, you want food. If we get a job, we can grab all the free food we want, & then quit!"

The brunette smiled brightly. The black-haired girl thought this through, taking her best friend's, her closerthanthis almost-sister's feelings into thought.

"That is the _dumbest _idea I have _ever _heard," she replied.

Caroline frowned. "Nuh uh!" she retorted. "You're just mad cause you're not as smart as me!"

Jordan sighed. "Well if you're so big on the idea, then _you_," she said with a push. "Go out & do it, you determined annoying pest!" (Meghan (not OC but bff): OcTOBeR is THE mONtH of DeTeRMINATION! U gO gRL!)

The girl slammed a paper onto the counter.

The man picked it up.

"'My name is Caroline Elric. I am 13 years old. I want to work here, jackass, so get over it…?'" he read aloud. He lowered the paper so he could see the brunette alchemist's smiling face.

"Sorry," he said. "We don't hire little kids."

"_Little_?" Caroline asked. "I'm _13_! 13!" she yelled.

"Nope," the man said.

Caroline jumped onto the counter & grabbed the man's collar.

"Listen up, you lousy piece of shit," she whispered. "If you want to _live _to see tomorrow, let me work here or else."

The man gulped. "If you let me go, I'll give you a free combo," he said.

The girl's eyes were narrowed. Sweat began to drip down the young man's forehead.

"Well alright then!" the girl exclaimed happily. She smiled & let go of the man. "I want a chicken sandwich th-"

Suddenly an alarm started going off, & red lights began to spin around the Chickfilae.

"What… what's going- AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

A man dressed as a cow held the girl above ground by her hood.

"Congratulations! You're the 1,000,000th customer!" he said as confetti rained down on the two, attracting everyone in the food court. Suddenly, the lights dimmed & a single spotlight rested upon the cow & the Elric sister, & even worse, the cow broke out into an anthem for Chickfilae. The girl was finally _beyond _pissed.

"Let me go now, you stupid cow!" she yelled, her arms & legs flailing about in midair. "I'm serious!" The cow kept on. "LetmegonownoworelsedammitIllkickyourass!" The cow remained. "All right that's it."

The girl used her right arm to punch the cow across the nose, then began kicking furiously at the stomach, & finally

"AH!"

Right in the udder.

The cow fell, & once he did, the girl sat on top of him, punching him repeatedly with her right arm. It took some security guards to finally throw the girl out of the mall.

A half hour later & the girl was sitting on the curb, bored as ever. She had already ridden all the kiddy rides seventeen times each, but when the kids starting spitting on you & the airplane seat, it wasn't fun anymore.

"Hey." She felt a light kick to the back. "Hey you."

The brunette turned around. There stood Jordan, her skateboard & lunch in her hands. Caroline sighed. "Come to rub my face in it?" she asked.

"I'm not that cold," the girl commented. "Pay me back later." She threw a cookie at the brunette, who barely caught it. She smiled in gratitude, & the Mustang sat down.

"Havin fun in there?" Caroline asked.

Jordan shrugged. "It's okay," she said between bites. "Nothin much left."

Caroline laughed as she ate. "Yeah, we practically bought everything in that shithole," she said.

"Well," Jordan said. "As far as I know, there _are _no State Alchemists in this era, which is where all our money comes from."

Caroline's mouth fell open. "You're kiddin."

Jordan shrugged. "Wish I was. Alchemy's pretty damn useful."

Caroline's smile disappeared. "Unless you use it the wrong way."

The girl looked up to the sky, still chewing.

Suddenly, the two heard running footsteps.

"Fullmetal, would you quit blaming me?"

"Well it's all your fault they're gone!"

"How is it _my _fault?"

"You were supposed to be watching them!"

"& you?"

"I was… too busy being hugged!"

"& who got more hugs here?"

"Shut up!"

"Nani?" Caroline asked.

"Crap," Jordan said. "Back so soon."

The brothers of the two suddenly came to a stop in front of them both.

"Where were you?" Roy questioned.

"The mall," Jordan answered calmly.

"Why?" Roy asked.

"Cause we saw some neat stuff," the black-haired girl stated.

"& _why _didn't you ask us?" Ed asked, eyeing Caroline.

The girl munched for a few more minutes. "Don't look at me, I'm eating."

Ed sighed. "Just don't do it again."

"Why?" Caroline asked, swallowing. "You know we will."

Roy sighed. "Come on, let's just go find Kagome."

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: (yawn) hav… 2 get… 2 sleep… auburn game 2morro w/ james… b up 7…. must get sleep… r&r 


	19. Reincarnations

Caroline: YAAAAAAAAAAY! Im back from the w/end! Srry I haven't upd8d! I wanted 2 but… u kno… w/ 2 chaptrs n all…. & a new fic this morning…

Jordan: aww… ur making urself sound so sweet & kind…

Caroline: Shut the hell up u bastard!

Jordan: but im a grl

Caroline: --

Jordan: --

Caroline: --….

Jordan: --……

Caroline: --…………………….OH WELL! BASTARDS SO MUCH MORE FUNNERER 2 SAY! (yes I meant funnerer… like dumb n dumberer)

Jordan:--………………wutevr…

Caroline: by the way **PhysicAlchemist **thank u 4 ur ideas but…. o well chek ur email…

Jordan: nani?

Caroline: nothin… o yea… 4 those of u wondering the ages… they r as follows….

Al- 14; Caroline- 13; Ed- 15; Inuyasha- 17 (67); Jordan- 14; Kagome- 15; Kikyo- 18; Kiyoshi (OC l8r in fic)- 14; Koga- 16; Kohaku- 11; Miroku- 19; Riza- 26; Roy- 29; Sango- 16; Shippo- 8; Winry- 15…. Now I must go find the perfect weapon 2 kill my bf with… he calld kurama gay...

* * *

Chapter 19: Reincarnations

"Kagome!"

"Where are you?"

"Fullmetal, it's not like she could hear you. I mean… your voice is so small… just like you."

"I'mnotshortyoustupidtaisa!WaittillIfindherthenyou'llsee!"

"Short tempered little…" the Colonel muttered.

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing, Ed…"

Roy turned to find the two girls whispering. They immediately stopped once they noticed his eyes.

"What?" Jordan asked.

"What are you two plotting?" he asked.

"Nothing," Caroline answered quickly. _Too _quickly.

"That's quite a weak 'nothing'," Roy said doubtfully.

"Look!" Jordan yelled. "Kagome!"

"I'm not falling for-"

"No really," Caroline said. "There's Kagome."

Roy turned. Sure enough, there was Kagome. She was walking along the other way, not even realizing the lot of them were behind her.

'Heh,' he thought. 'I'll show Fullmetal,' he plotted as he noticed the boy impatiently waiting for the walking signal.

The man started off in her direction.

"Kagome," he said, following her. The girl continued to ignore him. He repeated time & time again until he grabbed her hand.

"Oops," Caroline muttered.

"That's…"

"Not…"

"Kagome." The two said in unison.

A loud shriek erupted right then, & then

"Woah! Did you see that! Your brother got bitch-slapped, dude!"

Suddenly a lot of yelling parted the crowd.

"Sorry, 'scuse me! Comin through! Pardon me! Move it people!"

"Sounds like…" Jordan started.

"A little- WAH!" Caroline shrieked as a flash of red flew past her feet.

"What was… that?" Jordan asked.

Suddenly, the flash of red turned around & ran to the girl, pulling at her green coat.

"What'd you say?"

"Huh?" Caroline asked. She looked down. "All I said is-" She stopped.

Sure enough, stood an exact replica of a much younger Caroline. She had the light brown hair, brown eyes… everything.

"I… I…"

"Hey shrimp!"

"Aw crud," the girl said, letting go of the coat.

She began to take off in the other direction when suddenly a hand grabbed her by the hood.

"Sorry, kid, but you're not goin anywhere."

The boy picked the girl up & held her up about five feet from the ground. The two girls stared at the man. There was no way this was happening… the guy was a twin of Roy... no difference at all… except for the ages. The boy looked around 18.

"This isn't happening!" the green-clad teen said, shaking her head confusedly, & trying to get rid of the image of the man & the girl.

& for once, Jordan was just as appalled as Caroline, but found herself trying not to laugh.

The man just raised an eyebrow at the two. Suddenly, a boy looking around the same age appeared behind the two. His light brown hair hung in his face.

"Hey, Tyler, who ya lookin at?" he asked. The two girls blinked. "Ah, two chicks," he said. "But aren't they just a _bit _young for you?"

He turned. "I wasn't trying to date them!" he growled. "Too young is right," he said, turning around, the child kicking & punching wildly. "That brown-haired one freaks me out, & besides it'd be like trying to kiss a grade schooler!"

A nervous little sound slipped out of the brunette's mouth as she blushed furiously, the girl beside her laughing hysterically.

"Ah well," they heard the brown-haired guy say. "Let's get in the car & get something to eat. I'm starving."

"Let me go!"

"Let me guess, I'm driving?" the raven-haired teen asked.

"I call shotgun," his friend answered.

"Ah hell no!" the child complained.

"That was…" Jordan started.

The brunette just stared ahead, trying to say something, but silenced by her embarrassment.

"Hey."

The two turned around.

"I found Kagome," the blonde said.

The girl gave a small wave, & smiled apologetically.

"Sorry guys."

The two accepted, & Jordan noticed something.

"Roy, you okay?"

The man rubbed his head, nodding slowly.

"Man, that girl packed a punch. I mean all I was trying to-" he started, taking a few steps forward before Caroline suddenly clapped.

When the girl completed the transmutation, she pointed the weapon at Roy. The man stepped back a bit, not wanting to be stabbed by a spear.

"Come any nearer, you," she threatened, a crazed look on her face. "I _dare _you."

"What's her problem?" Roy asked, stepping back.

Jordan smirked.

"Don't… you… dare…" Caroline muttered.

"You _really _wanna know?" she asked Roy.

"Don'ttellyouslimeybastard!IfyoudoI'mgonna-"

"Do what?" Jordan asked.

"I'm gonna- Owwwwwwwww!" Caroline yelled as she felt her right arm suddenly scorched. She looked only to find herself locked in a cage of fire. "You little…"

Jordan smirked. Yes, to her, 'don't tell' meant 'oh go ahead & tell the _whole _militia while I sit in a cage of fire until you've finished telling _everyone_.' At least for Caroline.

She walked over to Roy, stood on her toes, & whispered into his ear. He blushed furiously, & his eye twitched.

So that's how Jordan, Ed, & Kagome had to drag an unconscious Roy _& _Caroline to the Higurashi household.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: Ah, the next chaptr will HOPEFULLY be up soon. But I g2g cuz parents r kinda mad me rite now n want me 2 go 2 bed so ill post this chaptr 2morro aftr skool… 


	20. Just Like Me

Caroline: agh… I finally got this chaptr so I can post it!

Tyler:…….

Jordan:…...

Caroline: & JUST IN CASE UR WONDERING- tyler is not rel8d 2 me… & he is not rel8d 2 jordan

Tyler: Nope, I'm just commenting on the shrimp's fabulous work of art.

Caroline: (growls) im not short…

* * *

Chapter 20: Just Like Me

Caroline woke up, her brown eyes examining the ceiling of an unfamiliar room. The smell of coffee was what woke her, her keen sense of smell noticing it. She began to hear familiar voices from a room close by.

"I wonder if she's dead," her brother said. "I knew that cage of fire was no good!" he snapped.

"Hey it wasn't my fault," Jordan responded. "I was just trying to protect my brother."

'Yeah right,' Caroline thought. "Protect him my ass," she grumbled quietly standing up.

"She's just sleeping," Roy said. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

"Yeah, well…" Kagome said, standing up, & pushing her chair in. "I'm gonna go check on her, just in case."

Kagome walked into the living room from the kitchen. She was suddenly stopped by a raging Caroline.

"Oh," Kagome said, surprised. "Caroline, I didn't know you were- huh?" she stopped as the white cloth that had been on the girls head was suddenly shoved into Kagome's grasp. "What are you… doing?"

The brunette looked at Kagome, her brown eyes on fire with anger, almost like an angry wolf's.

"I'm gonna do what I shoulda done a _long_ time ago…" she growled.

The girl stomped into the kitchen, leaving a confused Kagome standing there.

"_Jordan!_"

The three's conversation immediately ended as Ed, Roy, & Jordan noticed the girl in the entryway.

"So you're finally awake, are you?" Jordan asked, raising an eyebrow.

The brunette panted from trying to hold her anger in.

"I'm… going… to _kill _you…" she growled.

Jordan took a sip of the hot drink in front of her, sighed, & then stood up, calmly as ever.

"Figured you would say that," she said.

She pushed her chair in as both stood in silence, then the older girl turned her back, & both stood quietly for just a few more seconds. Then the black-haired girl glanced over her shoulder smirking.

"But only if you can keep up, shrimp."

With that, she bounded out of the house, shutting the door completely. The brunette stood there, somewhat surprised, then angrily ran after her.

"Caroline get back-"

Slam!

"Here…" Ed finished quietly. He sighed as he sat back down.

"You guys," Kagome said.

The two looked up. "Yes?"

"I'm gonna go take a bath," she said. "You four can spend the night here, if you want to that is."

Ed opened his mouth to say something, but Roy stood up politely instead.

"Thank you," he said. "We'd be happy to."

She smiled & ran off upstairs.

Caroline bounded down the streets, but slowed down as she got deeper into the city. She was surrounded by crowds of locals, tourists, & other assortments of people. There was no doubt Jordan had lost her in the crowd. Defeated once again, the girl sighed. She looked up at the sky. It was entirely too hard to find even _one _star, due to the city lights. But the city lights were what made it so beautiful… She smiled, but suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a scream.

The blonde took a sip of his drink, & sat it down, his eyes resting upon his feet. Roy could tell something was troubling him.

"Something wrong, Fullmetal?"

"Nothing," Roy said. "It's just…"

There was a pause.

"_Yes_?" Roy asked.

"I can't help but… worry about her," he finally said.

Roy raised an eyebrow.

"I mean," Ed said. "She's never been in a real… fight before," he continued. "Not with me watching her," he said, his gold eyes rose upwards.

Roy nodded. "Nor with I," he said, choosing not to bring up the street incident months before.

"& it's just…" he continued. "She's… my sister. A girl." He took a pause, then gave a 'Heh.' "She'd kill me if she heard me say that."

Roy smiled weakly. "I see what you mean," he said. "You've never had a _real _sister before right, Ed? Only that pretty little blonde Winry you seem to know so well, right? You & Al have relied on her to be your sister, haven't you?"

Ed frowned a little at first, then stopped. He never thought of it that way, yet Roy seemed to put it in order just like that. Slowly, the blonde nodded.

Roy stood up & walked over, placing a hand on Ed's shoulder.

"You've always been able to protect Winry, Ed. You're getting used to protecting the weak & they're grateful for it," he said. "But Caroline… she doesn't want help…" he continued. "The things she's faced…"

"Abandonment?" Ed asked.

Roy looked him in the eye. "That has made all the difference. She's gained all of her strength on her own, learning to protect herself well."

"So you're saying don't protect her, is that it?" Ed asked, frowning.

"The exact opposite," Roy said. "But give her time… let her trust you."

"She does trust me!" Ed yelled, standing up furiously. "She knows I'll be there for her through & through! I'm her _brother_!"

Roy stood there as Ed grabbed his collar. "She thought the same thing of her father, Ed."

The blonde let go of him realizing the cold, hard truth.

"Ed," Roy said, turning. "If there's a weakness in Caroline… any weakness at all… it's her naivety."

Ed looked confused.

"She's only a child, Ed," he continued. "Being so young, she hasn't begun to realize the nightmare of human depravity. Each new dive, each new adventure into the darkness…" he said. "It frightens her."

Ed's eyes widened, understanding.

"It scares her to no end. She can't take it," Roy said.

Ed looked down guilty that he could do nothing.

"Not alone at least," Ed said slowly. "I swear, Mustang…" His head shot up. "I'll do whatever it takes… whatever I can to protect her… no matter what."

Roy raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" he asked.

"I promise."

The brunette panted, running towards the direction she thought she heard the scream from. Suddenly she tripped.

"Ow," she moaned. "Godammit, what the hell was that f- Huh?" she asked raising herself up from her elbows. She crawled over into the alley. There Jordan sat on her knees, her feet hanging into the street. At the moment, she was trying to comfort a crying child.

"What's wrong?" Caroline asked, tapping her friend on the shoulder.

"She got hurt," Jordan whispered.

"Hey, you okay, kid?" Caroline asked.

The girl winced, her brown eyes overflowing with tears. It was the same girl they had seen earlier that day. She hugged one of her legs. Sure enough, blood was running down it.

"How'd this happen?" Caroline asked, worried.

"I… I didn't do nothin," the girl mumbled. "I was just walkin & then…" with this, she began crying again.

Caroline's teeth gritted, wanting to do something to get avenge the child. "& then what?" she asked, sounding a bit angry.

The girl continued to sob a few more minutes, before she answered. "& then… I was teased by some mean old boys.. I tried to teach em a lesson but… but…"

Caroline frowned. "They got you first, huh?"

The girl continued sobbing.

"That cut doesn't look too good," Jordan whispered to Caroline.

Caroline nodded. "I know," she whispered, her mind flashing back to those days.

_It was back in the days, that year & a half when Roy had left the girls & gone off to war. Hughes, the girl's temporary guardian had sent the two girls to school. Jordan had been placed two grades above Caroline, who was only in first at the time. The girl laughed as she ran out onto the playground._

"_Hey you! New kid!"_

_The girl turned around, her long ponytail playing in the wind. She was smiling._

"_I bet you think you're so cool. Sayin you're an orphan & all."_

"_No!" the girl yelled. "I'm not an orphan! I've got a family…the Colonel… & his sister!" _

_Why were they saying those things? Didn't they know she had a real family who'd return to her one day?_

"_I doubt it!" another boy taunted. "That guy & his sister are so mean, they'd kill you if they saw you on the street."_

"_No!" she yelled. "No they wouldn't! You don't know what you're talking about! You're lying!" Her fists clenched tighter around the bear she held._

_Why wouldn't they believe her? What had she done to them?_

"_Hey, what's this?" one of them said, grabbing the bear. "Your idea of a friend?"_

"_Hey, quit it!" the girl yelled defensively._

"_Her only friend," the other boy added. "Babies like her don't have friends!"_

"_I do too have friends!" Caroline yelled. "& I am not a baby!"_

"_Maybe I should just... tear him apart," the boy said, starting to grab the neck._

"_No!" the girl yelled, baring her sharp little teeth in panic._

_She lunged for the bear, one of her many, many mistakes in life._

The girl felt the small, hardly noticeable scar on her forehead. She never went back to school after that, scared of being accepted.

Suddenly, her stroll down memory lane was interrupted by sudden footsteps. Then a shadow loomed in the alleyway. The girls turned. There stood the boy… the same boy they had seen earlier, a long white coat on. He sighed as he saw the pitiful sight.

"What have you done now, shrimp?" he asked, kneeling down by the girl.

She tried to turn more in his direction, but whimpered as she tried to move.

"Don't move," he ordered. "Just tell me what happened."

The two spoke amongst themselves, the two girls watching intently.

Soon enough, the boy, Tyler as they now knew, was bandaging the girl's wound. Within a half hour, he had the girl on his back, her arms thrown over his shoulders, sleeping. He nodded to the two.

"Thanks for keeping watch of her," he said.

"No problem," the two replied, smiling.

With that, he & the girl were off. The two girls looked at each other, smiling & nodded happily, heading off to the Higurashi household.

& as they walked, Caroline noticed something.

That girl was just like her.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: so… wuddya think? kinda another filler chaptr but hey! we need sum of those rite?

Jordan:…..

Tyler: u make me sound so nice...

Caroline: well u can be… if u wanna…

Tyler: I think either you or Ed should work with Inuyasha (Because of your impatience.), Roy & Miroku (Because they act a lot alike.), and you with Sango (Because it seems to me you and her act alike…. Just a bit.) I have no clue with Kagome though, or Jordan for that matter…. (Sorry, kid, but I don't know you all _that _well.)

Caroline:………….iono. **PhysicAlchemist **says inu & ed, roy & miroku, sango & jordan, & me & kagome

Jordan:………

Caroline: neways…. **PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEAZ VOTE WHO UR FAVE OC IS! THE SCORE IS TIED! WE NEED 1 VOTE FOR EITHER CAROLINE OR JORDAN! AND IF U HAV ANY IDEAS ON WHICH CHARACTERS U THINK SHOULD WORK TOGETHR- PLEAZ EMAIL ME (LINK ON PROFILE) OR REVIEW THEM! R&R!**


	21. Wolf Demons

Caroline: Thank u **edwardelricswife** for pointing that mistake out in the last chaptr! I obviously made a mistake (angel caroline: that's wut u get 4 staying up 2 l8 typing teen-r8d fanfiction instead of studying! devil caroline: ah don't listen to her! shes just a little bitch trying to get u 2 go down the path 4 goodygoodys! we both kno which path is funner, rite? thats wut I thought… now go play in traffic & smoke sum cigarettes while ur at it!)& put wut ed was supposed 2 say ('It's just…') rite next 2 roys question…. so srry if that confusd u! by the way… hav u taken part in our little poll yet? (sly grin) u kno… the 1 that votes on whos bettr? (thinking: cuz I kno iam) neways if neone is intrestd in my daily, non-important lyfe… i saw the exorcism of emily rose 2day w/ james… it was a really good movie… but iono y evry1 else in our skool is so scared of it… heh theyre still having nitemares… o yea- now i remember! cuz theyre PREPS! -- ah i gtta ask my mom if I can go 2 eastchase w/ him 2morro! omg tho! i hav the funniest story! james (who if u don't kno is my bf happily since feb. 7, 2004) & i were sittin outside of the theatre on a bench when these HARDCORE goths walk n sit on a bench across the entrance (like a gazillion ft away) now keep in mind that i may b oldr than james by 29 days but he is like… 2 inches taller (crappit) than me. so were sittn there n in like 15 minutes the grl starts walkin ovr 2 us… so we were like 'omgshescomingovrhere!wutdowedo?' 'grabastick!' 'yeathatllwork!' but thn she stoppd & says 'hi I was wondering if that was ur little brothr…' so we just stared, eyes twitching until i finally said 'no… no hes not' n that grls supposedly bf was like 'told u so!' it was funny… i hope i hav as gr8 a weekend as i had last! goin 2 the auburn game w/ james last weekend, gettn the hawthorne heights cd, eatn good japanese food, rock wall climbin meghans church, & now this weekend… emily rose, talking 2 hours bout friends n lyfe ovr the phone w/ jordan, shoppin w/ james 2morro, & a mud fite (if I can go that is…) screw Jacobs dance- ill go 2 hunters! o yea! i ran 4 my homeroom president! i hope i win! wish me luck… if u want 2….

* * *

Chapter 21: Wolf Demons

"So…" Sango said. "It seems you four had quite a time in Kagome's era, huh?"

The girls turned their attention to the light blue skies to Sango's question.

"Oh, uh… yeah," the two said, obviously not paying attention to Japan. "Whatever."

Kagome tugged on Inuyasha's sleeve.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I heard about last night," she said. "You four ran into Koga?"

Inuyasha glared at Shippo.

"Wasn't me!" Shippo lied.

"You lyin little r-"

"Who's Koga?"

All turned to Caroline's question.

"What?" Kagome asked.

"You heard me!" Caroline said. "Who's Koga?"

"Ah yes, Koga," Miroku said. "He's a wolf demon who's madly in l-"

"Wolf?" Jordan asked, her eyes gaining a psychotic glint to them.

"Uh… yes," Miroku said as she grasped his collar in her hands.

"Wolfwolfwolf! Ilikewolves! Ilikewolves! Ilikewolves!" she yelled, running in circles.

"Never knew she could get so hyper," Kagome muttered.

Roy placed a hand on Jordan's shoulder, keeping her from moving any further.

"As you were saying?" he asked.

"Anyways," Miroku continued. "Koga is a wolf demon who's fallen in love with our very own Kagome."

There was a silence as this was acknowledged. & thanks to Caroline, that was broken.

"Damn, Kagome! You have _two _guys after you?"

It was later on into the afternoon when the group began walking into the forest. Kagome looked behind her. Sango was keeping a careful eye on Miroku, Ed was holding Kirara in his arms, Roy was looking up at the sky, & far behind the rest, Caroline & Jordan were quietly dueling it out with their feet. She smiled a little, then wiped some sweat from her brow. Suddenly, a strange sense fell upon her.

"Inuyasha!"

The group stopped at Kagome's call.

"What is it, Kagome?" they all asked.

"I sense… I sense a sacred jewel shard… many of them… approaching very, very fast."

Inuyasha growled. "The scent of a wolf is near. I can smell it."

He sniffed the air a little as Jordan spazzed out over the wolf once more.

"Damn," he muttered. "Koga's got himself a sidekick now."

"Hey, Inuyasha," Ed asked. "Why are they approaching at such a 'fast rate'?"

"Oh," Sango said, answering the question. "Koga," she said. "He has jewel shards planted into his legs."

"Meaning he can run extremely fast," Shippo added.

Suddenly not one, but two whirlwinds appeared in front of the group.

"Hey mutt," one tall wolf demon said, his long black hair pulled back into a ponytail. "You better be ready to fight," he threatened. "For getting Kagome mad again."

"Shut up, you smelly wolf!" he retorted, just before Koga advanced on Kagome.

"Kagome," he said, grabbing her hands. "What did he do to you this time?"

"Uh…" Kagome blushed. "I'm fine, really. I just needed a trip back home," she said.

Koga turned to Inuyasha. "You did something to her, mutt! I know you did!"

"Would you quit your yelling & leave her alone? She said she's fine!"

Shippo sighed, jumping off of Kagome's shoulder. "Here we go again."

A no older than Jordan stood off a bit from the group. He wore an outfit similar to Koga's, & his hair was cut short & was black. His armor & fur was blue & brown, & he petted a grayish-white wolf. His green eyes grazed over the group.

He sighed as he saw his brother & that Inuyasha he mentioned so often fighting. That girl, Kagome, he had heard of her, even noticed her from a distance every once & a while, & knew Koga would do anything to have her. He looked over a bit more, & saw a black-haired, pink clad girl hitting what looked like a monk with a large boomerang. She was blushing furiously, & looked very angry at the monk. He noticed a well-dressed man, & a strange-looking, shorter boy arguing about something, & a hyperactive girl running around in circles, yelling about wolves or something.

That's when he noticed her. Sitting the farthest from the group, watching the two demons fight, looking quite interested. She looked beautiful. Her light brown, naturally highlighted blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her brown eyes were wide, giving her a naïve look, & the sun lit up her face perfectly.

"Hey," he whispered, trying to get the girl's attention.

However Jordan, being the one with good hearing, heard his call. She started to tap Caroline on the shoulder, but as he made motions with his hands, she stopped, & walked over.

"Who are you?" she asked.

The girl didn't hear his name however, as she found one thing that interested her more.

"Wolfy!" she yelled as she began to pet the wolf.

"Uh.. yeah," he said. "His name is-"

"Where'd you get him?" Jordan asked, her eyes psychotic once more.

"Uh…" the boy looked a bit nervous as he was grabbed by the collar.

"I'll give you anything!" she yelled.

"Anything?" the boy asked. He looked & pointed. "Can I have her?"

"Who, Sango?" Jordan asked, pointing to the pink-clad girl.

"No! No! No!" the boy said. "Her."

Jordan looked, & turned back to him, smiling. "You've gotta be kidding. Her?"

"The one in the green."

"Done deal," Jordan said, beginning to play with the wolf.

The boy smiled, & walked over to Caroline. The girl blinked, & in a minute she was hoisted up & lifted onto an unknown shoulder.

"Waitaminute!Whothehellareyooooooooooooouuuuuuu?"

& with that, the two were gone.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: so wut did u think? do u think caroline will end up liking kogas little bro? or will she h8 his guts? so much suspense… that ull hav 2 find out in the nxt chaptr… o & in the next chaptr, he will b added 2 the fave charactrs poll! so remembr 2 vote & if u hav an idea 4 which charactrs should b paired up, remember 2 review or email them 2 me! r&r! 


	22. Just Friends?

Caroline: thank u so much yall 4 all yalls reviews! u guys r awsum! i guess well end the poll… evn tho im not quite sure if this is a vote or not…

**Neko Haruko: Your fic is very cute! I can't wait for more! Caroline is just the CUTEST!**

Caroline: (blush) thanx… Its not easy being so (sniff) cute

Jordan: -- yea… cute… wutevr…

Caroline: shut up! we all kno I am!

Jordan: --…. no comment

Caroline: I SAID SHUT UP!

Jordan: --

Caroline: ah… im bored… I found a new intrest this weekend… a VERY unlikely 1 at that…

Jordan: yea… VERY unlikely

Caroline: it is calld… the OC… I don't kno how I got in2 it exactly but its actually a pretty funny sho… seths HiLaRiUs

Jordan: im gonna go brood silently… over here…

Caroline: oo RYAN QUOTE!

* * *

Chapter 22: Just Friends?

Caroline awoke. She found herself looking at the top of a cave.

"Where… where am I?" she asked sitting up. The cave was relatively empty, besides a few wolves.

'Oh yeah,' she thought. 'Wolves. I was kidnapped by that… wait… kidnapped?'

The word repeated itself in her mind. She thought about how helpless she felt. She didn't know where she was or how to get out; why they even kidnapped her in the first place, or if she would live to see the next day. Anger swelled deep within her.

"Where the hell is th-" she stopped. At the mouth of the cave roared a waterfall. It was dark outside & in the moonlight she saw an outline of a person.

She got up, & walked toward it. She saw the figure turn.

"Oh," he said. "You're awake." He stopped for a moment. "Is… something wrong?" he asked.

"You…" she muttered. "You son of a bitch!"

The boy had no time to dodge as her palm hit his cheek. She glared at him, the walked to the other side of the ledge & sat on the edge of it.

"What… what's wrong?" he asked as he sat himself back up. "What did I do?"

"You wanna know what you did?" she repeated quietly, anger in her voice. She turned her head over her shoulder. "You really wanna know what you did?"

'Is she… crying?' he thought, seeing tears in her eyes.

"You kidnapped me, you idiot!" she yelled. "I don't know where I am, much less my way around Japan, so I'd say you got me just where you want me!"

She turned back around, looking out over the ledge.

"You… don't know your way around here?"

"No," she answered coldly. "I don't. I don't know how to escape so throw whatever you want at me, & I'll throw it back ten times harder."

He stared. A small breeze picked up. Silence followed.

"I'm… I'm sorry," he said.

"You should be," she said quickly.

"I… I didn't know you didn't know your-"

"Just shut up, will you?" she asked.

No words were spoken for quite a while.

"Who are you?" she finally asked.

"My name's Kiyoshi," he answered. "I could well ask the same of you."

"It's Caroline, but I don't owe you any more answers."

Another silence.

"Hey wolf," she addressed.

"Kiyoshi?" he asked, preferring to be called by name.

"Whatever," she said, looking to the stars. "What's your deal?"

"Huh?" he asked, confused.

She turned her head once more.

"You heard me," she said. "What's your deal? Why did you kidnap me?"

"Well…" he said. "It's cause…"

"Yes?" she asked.

"Because…" he said. "I thought you were… I thought you were pretty."

She blushed.

"Wh… what did you say?"

"I thought you were pretty," he repeated. "So I did what I've seen my brother do before."

She crawled over to him.

"Is Koga your brother?" she asked.

"How'd you know?" he asked.

"Iono," she said, shrugging. "I just guessed, since you two are both wolf demons."

He gave a very weak smile.

"He's never around much, so I'm just out looking for a friend," he said.

She sat beside him, swinging her feet over the edge. She gave a little smile.

"Well next time, just ask," she said.

He gave her a confused look.

"I did," he answered.

Her look matched his.

"You _did_?"

"Yeah," he answered. "That crazy girl with all the black told me you'd go with me if I gave her a wolf."

"She did?" she asked.

Caroline couldn't believe this. What had she done? Why had Jordan suddenly betrayed her like this? How could she do this?

"_Jordan, take out the trash!"_

_A four year old Caroline was suddenly hoisted over the girl's shoulder & put in a trash can out on the street._

_-_

"_Niisan!" Jordan yelled, running in from kindergarten. "Guess what I learned at school today!"_

"_What is it?" two voices asked; a highly disinterested Roy, & a curious preschooler._

"_Okay, Caroline," she said. "Get behind me."_

_The naïve girl ran behind, & stood there._

"_Good, now give me your hand."_

_The girl did as told, & was suddenly slung over her shoulder onto her back on the ground._

_-_

"_Happy birthday, Jordan," Roy said, handing her a wrapped present. "You know what this means now that you're ten," he said as the girl unwrapped her very own wristbands._

"_Yep!" she said. "Time to be responsible!"_

_Within an instant, the brunette was burned._

Okay… well… those were all pretty bad things… but nothing like this had ever happened. She sniffled a little.

"I'm sorry she did that to you," he apologized.

"What?" Caroline asked. "I was cold."

The boy smiled & put his hand on top of hers.

"I'm sorry about today, but will… will you be my friend?" he asked.

There was a silence.

"Yeah," she said. "I'll... be your friend."

He beamed.

"Just friends, though," Caroline said quickly.

He smiled, & put his arm around her as the two looked up at the stars.

& she didn't try to fight him off either.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: so…. wutd u think? i hope u liked it! The trashcan thing… that was based on sumthin tyler did 2 me last nite… UANNOYINGLITTLEBLACKHAIREDFREAK! But… r&r! email me if u want but I g2g! again- thanx 4 yalls reviews! 


	23. Her Weakness

Caroline: well I typed this chaptr really quik! Thank u all SO much 4 the 33 reviews! squee happy woot! O & if yalls gots any questions or suggestions (hey that rhymed…) … email or review

* * *

Chapter 23: Her Weakness

Caroline was shaken awake.

"Huh?" she moaned, blinking her eyes sleepily.

"Hey," said a familiar voice.

She frowned, & closed her eyes once more.

"Kiyoshi… it's way too early…" she moaned, rolling over. "Leave me alone."

"But I thought you wanted to find your brother," he said.

She sat up. "I do," she said. "But not at four o clock in the morning."

Kiyoshi looked at her. "Look," he said. "I'm sorry but…"

"But what?" she asked. "Tell me now, idiot or I'm going back to sleep."

"This is the safest time to go," he continued. "If I don't get you out now the rest of the tribe will return, & they'll eat you alive… no matter what I say."

She sighed & grabbed her coat which she had used for a blanket.

"Let's go," she said.

The two wandered outside. The moonlight lit a small path for them to walk on. As the two neared the ledge, Kiyoshi reached out his hand. Caroline blindly jumped down each & every rock happily.

He blinked.

"Morning person, are we?" he muttered.

Caroline led the way as she jumped across the narrowest part of the stream. She turned around only to find Kiyoshi right behind her.

"Tryin to look if I'm still here?" he asked.

She smirked. "In your dreams, wolf."

"I thought you didn't know your way around Japan," he said.

"I don't," she said. "That's why I was gonna ask you."

She turned around, looking at the woods, & trying to find a path. Suddenly she was picked up, & with her in his arms, Kiyoshi began running.

He looked in every direction, trying to find the same group of people he had taken her from. Every minute went by as a second.

"Hey, keep a lookout for-" he ended his sentence, & smiled.

The girl was snuggled in his arms, her mouth open just a bit, peacefully sleeping.

------

"I can't believe you traded off my sister for a wolf," Ed grumbled.

"Honestly Jordan, even I wouldn't do that," Roy said.

"What about a dog?" the black-haired girl retorted.

There was a pause. "It doesn't matter what I'd do," Roy answered. "I expect better of you."

"Sorry," she shrugged.

"Are you saying this is no big deal!" Ed yelled.

"Don't worry," Jordan said waving her hand. "I'm sure she fought her way out of it."

------

Clap!

A blue light flashed over the area. The brunette ran toward the demon with a sort of bow staff in her hands.

"Die!" she yelled, flipping it around. Suddenly the staff was snapped in two. Her eyes widened in fear, tying to come up with a quick plan. A large clawed foot began to come down upon the girl as she fell to the ground, but in a flash the girl was picked up.

She found herself in Kiyoshi's arms. He stopped suddenly & the girl jumped a few feet off.

"This doesn't mean I owe you anything," she said, blushing embarrassingly, her brown eyes focusing on the ground.

He smiled. "What about equivalent exchange?"

She frowned. "Find my brother _now_." She glanced towards the demon. "I'll take it from here."

------

Kagome stopped.

"I sense a jewel shard," she said.

------

The girl was knocked several hundred feet back, her face covered in multiple scratches.

She looked up, one hand on her knee.

"You're… a pain in the ass," she muttered breathlessly.

The monster looked towards her.

"Die, girl," it snarled.

"I'm not dying," she muttered, pushing herself up. "Without killing you firs-"

She was stopped just as she began running towards the demon. Her eyes widened in horror. She dropped to her knees, her hands shaking in fear.

'What's… what's going on?' she thought. 'Why am I… thinking this? Why now of all the times?'

Pictures began flashing through her mind. It started first with a stringy brown-haired girl, most of her face hidden in shadows. All were in white & black, with red backgrounds. She saw two girls sword fighting, two very familiar girls.

'Wait… that's… that's…'

Sure enough, it was her & Jordan as two girls. Both weren't seriously fighting & trying to kill each other, they both knew that. But suddenly, a blade slipped. Her mind suddenly slipped to an image of Caroline, just as she had looked a few years before, one arm missing. She sat in front of Roy on a bed with bandages on her left arm.

"I'm… sorry, Roy," she muttered. "I didn't mean to," she said. "I really didn't."

The man embraced the girl, feeling sorry for her. The girl suddenly smirked, & a knife lied in her hands.

The next image played Al.

"Niisan!" he cried, dispersing into air.

Envy smiled as he watched the girl tremble in horror. He turned to his original form. He started walking towards her.

Ed lied far from the girl, both limbs missing.

"Sister," he muttered, blood lying on & all around him. "How could you do this?"

Envy stopped in front of her, looking down upon the tormented girl.

A grave flashed before her eyes.

Envy grabbed her by the throat, & lifted her into air, the girl not even noticing, her brown eyes almost lifeless.

& a baby's cry filled the girl's mind as a vaguely familiar bearded man dropped her into darkness.

"Let her go now!" interrupted a familiar voice.

Envy turned, the girl snapping out of it, tears running down her face.

"Ed…ward?" she managed just barely.

"& if I don't?" he muttered, a smirk on his face.

Suddenly a shining purple flash flew towards him. He jumped out of the way, letting the girl go, & suddenly parts of metal went flying.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: okey dokey well I aint got 2 much 2 say rite now cuz i g2g… r&r! 


	24. Repairs

Caroline: chaptr NUMERO DOS tonite! Yeeeeeeesssssss! Burnin that coffee off!

* * *

Chapter 24: Repairs 

The girl stared, her brown eyes wide, following the pieces of metal flying. She fell backwards, surprised by it all.

Kagome gasped.

"Caroline!" she said, amongst many others, running to her aid. "Are you okay?"

Caroline clutched her left shoulder.

"It's… it's broken," she said, looking at her empty left sleeve.

"I'm so sorry," Kagome said, tears welling in her eyes. "I didn't… I'm usually…" before she could finish, she burst into tears.

"Don't cry, you stupid girl!" Caroline said. "I'm okay, see?" she said waving one arm about.

Kagome sniffled. "Are you sure?"

Caroline smiled reassuringly. Kagome smiled back.

"Is there anything that can be done for it?" Sango asked, looking at Ed.

"Sure," Ed replied. "Just have to take her to a longtime friend of mine."

Caroline looked up suddenly. "Don't worry, Ed. I got a great automail mechanic we could go to."

"Yeah, they did a pretty good job on your automail whoever they are," her brother said. "But trust me, the Rockbells are better."

"Ed," Caroline said.

"Yeah?"

"I am talking about the Rockbells."

"Oh," Edward said.

There was a silence.

"Wait you know the Rockbells!" came soon after, both pointing fingers at the other.

"Alright," Roy said. "If she's gonna need automail replacement, we might as well get going now."

"I guess you're right," Caroline said, her brother helping her up.

"Ya okay?" Jordan asked.

Caroline looked at the ground, then nodded.

"Jordan…" she said.

"Yeah?"

Suddenly with everyone as a witness, Caroline slapped the girl across the face. There was a silence, wondering what would become of the brown-haired Elric.

"What the _hell _was that for!"

"You know good & well what it was for, you pain-in-the-ass lieutenant!"

"It aint my goddamn fault!"

"Bullshit!"

Eyes followed the two, & after a bit more swearing a blur of black & brown formed in front of their eyes. After a few minutes, the blur came to a sudden halt.

In Jordan's hand lay one of the sections of Caroline's hair that was always to the sides of her face. The brunette whimpered pitifully.

"Roy, look," she said. "It's her permanent leash, ya know?"

The man turned around.

"Let her go, Jordan. Don't hurt her any further."

The girl did as told, releasing Caroline. The brunette shoved her elder.

"Yeah, don't hurt the injured!" she said, sticking out her tongue.

------

"Wow," Kagome said. "I can't believe it."

"It's not broken," Miroku said.

"Maybe someone fixed it for us," Shippo said, perching on Kagome's shoulder.

"Well, duh," Inuyasha said.

Ed walked up, carrying his sister on his back. "I can't believe it," he said. "But I completely forgot about it being broken in the first place."

"Well at least it's fixed now," Jordan said, peering into the depth of the well.

Roy yawned, stretching his arms out. "It'll be good to sleep in my own bed again," he said casually.

Caroline blinked, the same childish look in her eyes as always. "I thought we were stayin here," she said.

"You're not coming back?" Shippo asked.

"No, no," Roy said. "We'll be back within a week or so."

"Are you sure you don't want us to come along?" Kagome asked.

"No," Ed replied. "It's fine." He looked around at Caroline. "Can ya walk?" he asked.

She nodded slowly, a bit unsure, but got off her brother's back, & hopped into the well.

Within minutes, the girl was peering up at a bright blue sky. She wasn't sure how, but in some way, she had managed to pull herself out of the well. As she put her head over the edge, a gun clicked to her forehead.

"Freeze!" yelled a familiar voice.

"It wasn't me I swear!" Caroline yelled.

The gun eased away from her head.

"Caroline?"

The girl looked up.

"Riza-chan!" she exclaimed. "Why are you he-"

"Ekai!"

Within seconds, Caroline was grabbed & squeezed close to a large suit of armor they called her brother.

"Nice to see you too, Al," she muttered.

"What's going on?"

Al suddenly let go of Caroline.

"Niisan!"

The suit of armor repeated the same procedure with Edward. A few hours later & a few thousand hugs from Armstrong later…

"You've gotta be kidding, Mustang!" Ed yelled. "I get back, & on the exact same day I have to take another stupid mission!"

"I didn't wanna come to work either, Ed," Mustang said calmly. "Your point?"

"I've got a sister in there who needs _automail_!" Ed yelled. "Has it clicked yet?"

"It clicked a long time ago, Ed," Roy replied. "& a long time ago, your sister handled it by herself."

"Roy's right," a voice added.

The two glanced to the door. Caroline stood there.

"I handled it a long time ago, Niisan," she said. "I have money now," she continued. "So I can stay there a few days." She looked up. "You & Al go on. I'll meet you back here in a few days."

Ed blinked.

"Problem solved," Roy said.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: on 2 chaptr three of 2nite! god im cool! 


	25. Dad

Caroline: ok.. u goddamn BETTR review 4 this chaptr if uve read up 2 this far becuz I wrote THREE chaptrs in ONE itsy bitsy teeny weeny little nite & I am goddamn tired! So 4 gods sake REVIEW! (unless ur like summer on the oc 'I kno how u feel.. I just don't care.')

* * *

Chapter 25: Dad 

Riza tied the girl's hair tightly.

_Hey dad_

"There," she said. "All done."

She leaned down & looked at the girl.

_Writing to you_

_Not to tell you that I still hate you_

"You okay?" she asked.

_Just to ask you ow you feel_

"Never better," she answered through rather large yawns.

"You know you can't use alchemy, right?" Jordan asked, leaning on the windowsill.

"Yes, Jordan," Caroline answered. "Now quit rubbing it in."

"So what if you come to an enemy?" Roy asked.

"Simple," the girl muttered, closing her eyes. "You kick their goddamn ass."

"What if they use alchemy as a weapon?" he continued.

"Then I'm screwed," she answered.

_How we fell apart_

_How this fell apart_

Those memories replayed through her mind as the girl slept throughout the early morning on the train. The call of the train coming to a halt woke the girl from her slumber. She stood up, grabbed her coat & walked out.

_Are you happy out there in the streets out cold_

_Do you think about your sons_

_Do you miss your little girl_

She sighed as she knocked on the familiar door. A few minutes later an older girl appeared, a red bandanna covering her blonde hair.

"Rockbell Automail Engineers. How may I help you, little-" she stopped herself, her blue eyes running over the girl. "No… way. Caroline, is that really you?" she asked.

"No," she said. "It's Edward Elric with dyed hair & a younger, girlier voice. Of _course_ it's me, Winry!"

When you lay your head down how do you sleep at night

The two girls hugged.

"So what do you need?" Winry finally asked.

_Do you even wonder if we're alright?_

"Well… I sort of need…" Caroline's voice became barely audible after that.

_But we're alright_

_We're alright_

"An automail replacement!"

_It's been a long hard road without you by my side  
_

_Why weren't you there all the nights that we cried  
_

_You broke my mother's heart, you broke your children for life  
_

_It's not okay but we're all right  
_

_I__remember the days, you were a hero in my eyes but those are just a long lost memory of mine  
_

_I spent so many years learning how to survive  
_

_Now I'm writing just to let you know I'm still alive_

The day passed quickly for the two. As the arm was the only replacement needed, Winry assured that if she took an all-nighter, she could have the procedure done by the next afternoon. Winry kept her promise, & the next morning the girl was getting the replacement.

A knock came on the door. Another knock. Before his hand hit the door once again-

"Coming!"

Winry appeared in the doorway, multiple tools in her arms, her hands, some even in her mouth.

"Can I help you?" she managed.

"Yes," the man said. "I was looking for an old drinking buddy of mine, Pinako Rockbell."

Winry looked over her shoulder.

"Well, sir," she said. "I'm afraid we both have a patient right now. Can it wait?"

The man nodded. He had a long coat on, a golden beard, the rest of his hair being pulled back into a ponytail, & wore glasses. He looked vaguely familiar to Winry, but she couldn't just quite place him.

"Make yourself at home," she said through clenched teeth, before running off to another room.

_The days I spent so cold, so hungry_

The man walked inside, sitting in a chair close to the room he thought the girl had ventured off to. He heard a girl try to stifle a scream.

_I was so mad_

_I was so angry_

"I'm sorry, Caroline," he heard Winry say. "But we're almost done."

_The scars run deep beneath this tatooed body_

"Well what's taking you so bloody long?" he heard another reply.

He chuckled to himself. It reminded him of when he was a kid. He also remembered Caroline. That was the name he had given to his daughter, right? The only daughter he had ever had. He remembered now. He wondered how she must look now. How she must be living now? Had Mustang abandoned the girl, & left her onto the streets? No, he thought. Mustang was a man of word, & he knew that for a fact. So she must still be living with him safely, correct?

_There's things I'll take to my grave_

"I can't believe her & Ed both take this so well," he heard one say, concluding it was Pinako.

& Ed, that was the name of one of his sons he had left with Trisha. No… there was no way…

The door opened. Pinako stepped out.

"Who are y-" she stopped. "Ho… Hoenheim?" she asked. "Is that-"

The man made his way into the room. He looked down at a girl sleeping on her side. She had light brown hair, the same as his little girl, close facial features, & slowly, her tired eyes fluttered open.

_But I'm okay_

Brown. Yes, brown. The same eyes he knew his sons had.

He stared as her eyes remained halfway opened.

"Who… are you?" she asked.

He took a deep breath. "Do you answer to Caroline Elric?"

Her eyes blinked, but remained still only halfway opened. "What's it to you?" she asked.

"I'm…." he took a deep breath, & stared at the ground for what seemed like forever. "Hoenheim Elric."

Her eyes opened wide, tears already forming in them.

"No," she said. "No you're not!"

"I'm sorry, Caroline, but I am," he said.

She sat up on her arms, both shaking in fear of what she knew was the truth. "No you're not," she repeated. "You're not! You're not! You're not!"

He grabbed her right shoulder. "If I told you your mother's name was Trisha Elric, & each of you brothers were Edward & Alphonse Elric, would you believe me then?"

The girl looked down as the man hugged her tightly.

_I'm okay_

"You're not him…" she repeated quietly over & over again, tears flowing down her face.

_It's been a long hard road without you by my side  
_

_Why weren't you there all the nights that we cried  
_

_You broke my mother's heart, you broke your children for life  
_

_It's not okay but we're all right  
_

_I__remember the days, you were a hero in my eyes but those are just a long lost memory of mine  
_

_I spent so many years learning how to survive  
_

_Now I'm writing just to let you know I'm still alive_

------

The sun was beginning to rise over Risembool. The girl slowly walked through the hallway. She began to open the door quietly.

"Caroline…"

"Crappit," she muttered. "Leave me alone," she said loudly. "You left me that way once anyways."

The man appeared behind her. "Well I'm not prepared to do that again."

Caroline frowned, understanding the concept.

_Sometimes I forgive_

"You're not getting my forgiveness."

The man followed her. She expected for him to speak up once, or do _something_, but he never did. He just followed along quietly. He bought a train ticket, & even rode the train with the girl.

She looked down at the empty table. She reached into her pocket & pulled out a handfull of grass, & sat it down.

"What's that for?" Hoenheim asked friendlily.

Her brown eyes looked up at him, narrowed. She clapped her hands together & in a flash, sat bread on a table. She tore some off, & began looking out the window, acting distracted.

"I see you're quite skilled with alchemy," he said.

She shrugged. "Some say so."

"I bet you're a real hit with the other kids in town," he continued.

"They used to beat me up," she said.

He was silenced.

"Because I was an orphan, as they called it."

"Look," Hoenheim said. "I just wanted to-"

"I don't need an explanation," she said.

"But you need a father," Hoeneheim said.

"Lived without one," Caroline retorted.

"Well, I'm prepared to be it," he said happily.

"Go ahead, & _try_."

_Yeah & this time I'll admit that I miss you_

_Said I miss you_

Within the next few days in the next few 'detours', Caroline found herself to becoming somewhat more attached to this man. She was fnally becoming close to him, but one day he looked up to the sky, looking scared.

"What is it?" she asked.

The man suddenly began looking around quickly. Then, he leaned down & grabbed the girl by the shoulders.

"Caroline," he said. "I know I haven't been that great of a father & that I've broken this family, but if you'll keep in touch with me I'll-"

She cut him off by placing a hand in front of his face.

_It's been a long hard road without you by my side  
_

_Why weren't you there all the nights that we cried  
_

_You broke my mother's heart, you broke your children for life  
_

_It's not okay but we're all right  
_

_I__remember the days, you were a hero in my eyes but those are just a long lost memory of mine  
_

_I spent so many years learning how to survive  
_

_Now I'm writing just to let you know I'm still alive_

"You're... leaving?" she asked.

"Well," he said, his voice trailing off.

"Dad," she said, looking down. "If you're leaving now," she said, and then looked him straight in the eye. "I want you to leave & never come back."

_& sometimes I forgive_

The man thought, then nodded. He reached out his arms, but the girl turned & ran off.

_& this time I'll admit that I miss you_

Running away from him. Running away from goodbyes.

_I miss you_

Tears of her own fear running down her face.

_Hey dad_

To be continued…

Caroline: aw… that chaptr makes me sad….ecspecially w/ the song... (yawn) its on the first good charlotte cd... reminds me BUNCHES of the elrics... neways its 12:39 nite & im really tired so I must GET SUM SLEEP. R&R... OR ELSE!


	26. Down

Caroline: ok guys! i hav written the 26th chaptr! I was in a hurry tho… srry I didn't think 2 much of this chaptr so.. yea… neways it's to 'down' by blink182… xcept I took out all the 'down down down' parts cuz they would probly get on ur nerves.

* * *

Chapter 26: Down

_The drops of rain, they fall all over_

Caroline hadn't been able to look him in the eye for days now. She talked less. Her hyperactivity had resumed to nothing, & she didn't even fight as hard. She even ate less. One night as she sat, her fork twirling around the ramen, Ed sat next to Roy.

_This awkward silence makes me crazy_

"Mustang?"

Roy's eyes looked down upon the boy.

"What is it?"

"It's Caroline," Ed whispered, staring at the girl.

Roy understood. "Yes, I've noticed it too. Obviously something's wrong with her."

Ed glared at him. "I know that, genius," he said. "Any clues as to what it _is_?"

Roy's eyes narrowed, remembering a time once before.

_The child's fork played with the food in front of her. The same words kept appearing in her mind._

"_Baka inari! Wake up!"_

_A hand waved in front of her face brought the girl to life once again. She blinked confusedly for a few minutes._

"_Something wrong, kid?" Roy asked._

"_Huh?" she asked, then quietly answered. "No… nothing."_

"_Sure sounds like it," Jordan said. "Are you sick? You didn't even yell at me for callin you a shrimp."_

_Her brown eyes almost seemed lifeless as they widened only just, then returned to the lost look. She stood up, leaving her plate on the table, then walked off._

That had been the day the girl changed. The day her innocence had left, & her life was shattered to pieces. The day Roy guessed was the day she opened that stupid lie of a letter he knew Hoenheim had written himself.

The raven-haired colonel shrugged. "Beats me," he said, yawning. "She's your sister."

Ed got up, & sat on the same log his sister sat on.

_The glow inside burns light upon her_

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," she answered barely above a whisper.

"Something wrong?" Ed asked, his eyes narrowed. "Cause I'd like to know if there is."

Caroline thought for a few minutes. "No."

_I'll try to kiss you if you let me_

Ed grabbed her by her collar.

"Look me in the eyes & say that again," he said, a bit _too_ angrily.

He saw a tear fall down her face as she tried not to look in his eyes.

_This can't be the end_

His gold eyes widened.

_Tidal waves, they rip right through me_

Caroline tried not to tell him everything. Everything about Dad.

_Tears from eyes worn cold & sad_

& she didn't want to tell him either. She couldn't trust Dad. She couldn't trust Roy. So why should she trust Ed?

_Pick me up now, I need you so bad_

He took her into his arms.

_Your vows of silence fall all over_

"Caroline," he whispered. "Just tell me what's wrong. Please just tell me."

Caroline pushed away.

_The look in your eyes makes me crazy_

Hurt lay in his golden eyes. She tried not to look in them, but her brown eyes looked to the side, & she broke.

_I feel the darkness break upon her_

She buried her face in his shoulder, & began crying.

_I'll take you over if you let me_

"Caroline…" Ed whispered. "What's wrong?"

Through sobs he heard one word.

"Dad…"

& he thought three.

_You did this_

_Tidal waves, they rip right through me_

An hour later, the girl was asleep on his shoulder. Before she could even tell her story, he told her to stop. All she had to say was that one word, & he knew it all. He looked at the girl.

_Tears from eyes worn cold & sad _

He smiled & wiped away a tear from her face.

_Pick me up now, I need you so bad_

"It'll be okay," he whispered as she slept peacefully.

* * *

Caroline: short chaptr… I kno… anyways so I don't get any reviews asking wut 3 words Ed thought… it was 'You did this' ah well… that's only if ur dumb n u didnt kno… (jk jk!) anyways ill try 2 upd8 soon & ill try 2 make the next chaptr longr! R&R! 


	27. The Fight

Caroline: ok… this is kind of a weird chaptr but o well… ive been workin on it since lunch so… get ovr it!

* * *

Chapter 27: The Fight

Her brown eyes shot open, dilated with fear. She woke up panting, & a bead of sweat ran down her forehead. She slowed her pace of breathing & sat up, looking to the right of her. Ed was asleep, & so were the others around her.

"Only… only a dream, Caroline," she muttered, then hit herself in the head. "God, quit bein such a wimp!"

"Nightmares, huh?"

She turned suddenly, then looked up. She saw the figure of a certain half demon sitting in a tree.

"Sorry I bothered you," she muttered coldly.

He gave no comment. The girl looked around once more, finding no one to talk to. She stood up suddenly, & stretched her arms out. He didn't notice what she was doing until she sat right next to him.

"Holy-" he cut himself off. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like, dog boy?" she asked.

He sneered. "See if I care."

Her eyes looked downwards.

"Ya know what?" she asked suddenly.

He gave an arrogant 'hmph' in reply.

"Honestly, you kind of remind me… of Ed," she muttered.

He hesitated, confused for a moment, then paused. "That's what you think," the hanyou replied.

"Not only that, but me too," she said.

"What the hell's wrong with you, girl? You don't act a thing like me!" he said.

She shrugged. "Stubborn, willful, determined," she said. "Jordan's the one that told me."

He raised an eyebrow. "That's what she thinks?"

She nodded. "Hell yeah, she does."

There was a long silence.

"Plus…" she began. "We both have fears, right?"

He glared at her. "I aint scared of nothin!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" she asked. "Then why are you so scared of being accepted?"

His gaze upon the moon softened slightly. "What are you getting at?"

"Don't joke with me," she muttered. "I've been here almost a month now, & I _know_ you like Kagome!"

His eyes widened & Caroline could see his cheeks redden. "Where'd you get that idea?"

She smirked. "It's _so_ obvious," she said. "I can't _believe _you don't realize it. You'd do anything to protect her, go to any means. But what would happen if she left you?"

There was a pause.

"I know half demons, dog," she muttered. "& I know they're not accepted by humans nor demons." She clenched her left fist into her right. "& I know alchemists who perform taboo aren't accepted either. & that's why you're scared of telling her, isn't it?"

His gaze shifted to looking over the sleeping black-haired girl. His golden eyes softened.

"It's cause she might not think the same as you, isn't it?" she asked.

He looked up to the sky suddenly, & closed his eyes.

"Shut up," he answered.

A long silence lingered between the two. The girl sighed.

"Ah well," she said. "Can't do any fightin or anything tomorrow without sleep."

She swung over the branch, & as she suspended herself with her arms, the hanyou spoke.

"Hey kid," he said.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"You said we have our fears, right?"

She blinked, then nodded.

He smirked. "What's yours?"

Her eyes grew wider, then her gaze softened.

"I'm… I'm afraid of… of being…"

"Yes?" he asked.

Suddenly a strong breeze picked up.

Inuyasha's nose twitched.

"What's up with the wind changing?" Caroline asked.

"Naraku…" he muttered. "& another strange scent too…"

"What?" she asked.

He grabbed her & jumped down from the tree.

In front of them both appeared two lovely looking women, a very large man, a strange-looking boy, a younger child, & a white-clad girl.

"Caroline, wake the others up," Inuyasha ordered.

"Uh… right," she said.

Inuyasha turned as the girl ran off to wake the others. He unsheathed his Tetsusaiga, & pointed it at the group.

"Kagura," he growled. "What the hell are you doing here?"

One of the women smiled in answer to his question. "Honestly, Inuyasha, you need to quit asking that. You know exactly why I'm here."

Kagome appeared suddenly at Inuyasha's side.

"Who… are they?" she asked, a bit frightened.

"Are they incarnations as well?" Miroku asked from behind them.

Kagura smiled. "Good guess, monk, but no," she answered.

"They're homunculi!" Ed yelled, taking a battle stance, & interrupting Kagura.

"Homunculi?" Caroline asked. "They don't really exist, do they?"

"You're lookin at em," Jordan told her.

"Kohaku…" Sango muttered.

"So you're here to cause a fight, eh?" Roy asked, putting his gloves on.

Kagura gave another smile, & suddenly with a wave of her fan, the team went flying back.

"Damn," Caroline growled, sitting up. "What the hell is she?"

"She controls the wind," Miroku muttered. "Don't look into Kanna's mirror, any of you," he warned.

Sango grabbed her boomerang. "I'll take Kohaku."

"I'll take Envy," Ed said.

"I'll take Lust," Jordan & Roy said.

"I can take Kanna," Kagome said.

"I think I can take Gluttony," Miroku said.

"Then I get Kagura," Inuyasha muttered.

"& what am _I _supposed to do?" Caroline asked, clearly wanting to fight.

"You stand back," Inuyasha said. "Take care of Shippo."

"But I-"

Caroline didn't finish & watched on as two teams fought. Suddenly, she noticed Sango looked lost & confused.

"Sango! You okay?" she yelled.

She turned. "Yeah it's just-" she stopped. "Caroline, watch out!"

Caroline turned, Shippo in her arms. Suddenly a chain sickle swung right past her. She screamed, & ran towards the wooded area. She sat Shippo down.

"Stay right there, Shippo. I'll be right back."

She ran off.

"That's why I wanted to fight, you bakas!" she yelled.

Kagura turned.

"So you want to fight, eh?"

Suddenly a girl who had been unnoticed appeared. Her hair was around Caroline's length, & worn down. Her looks hardly even differed. She wore a black tank top cut off at the stomach, & a skirt cut off mid-thigh. Caroline ran toward her, not a doubt in her mind. Suddenly the girl looked up, her brown eyes empty & sad, but then as they caught Caroline's, a wicked grin spread across her face, & her eyes got a scary, haunting look in them.

Caroline froze. An image of her dad appeared in her mind, in red, white, & black, & suddenly she saw as though he dropped her, far down into something.

She felt a pain cut through her back.

& suddenly, everything in her mind went black.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: Ah… i feel sick... neways… srry i hadn't upd8d… report cards come out friday & ive been tryin 2 get good grades so my dad will get me the fma series box set. plus me, megan, layton, & jordan went 2 the fair friday, & i spent the nite at jordans on saturday so… yea… busy little alchemist, aren't i? well… not little… maybe ill get my halloween costume 2morro! o well r&r! 


	28. Only for Protection

Caroline: ok… so i c i still have no new reviews…. meesh meh… o well… HOPEFULLY ill get sum w/ in the next few chaptrs… (cough) or this one (cough)

* * *

Chapter 28: Only for Protection

Sounds invaded the girl's mind.

"Do you think she's okay?"

"Stupid girl, I told her not to fight!"

"Dammit, Caroline, wake up! Please!"

The girl gave a soft groan as she awoke, her brown eyes opening wide. She stared at a ceiling. Everyone was staring down at her.

"What… what happened?" she asked.

"Caroline, are you okay?" Kagome asked.

"Yeah, I'm-" she gave a yelp of hurt as she sat up, & she grabbed her shoulder suddenly. "What the-" she started, her eyes gazing over her back.

"Okay boys," Kaede said. "I'm afraid you'll have to step out for a few moments. We need to tend to her wounds."

---

Caroline's eye twitched as she laid out across her stomach, her head resting on her elbows. She tried to hold back a little grunt as Jordan tried stitching it up.

"Wow," Kagome said. "You're doing a good job at that. How'd you learn to do that?"

"Ah well, you learn a lot of it being in the military & all," she answered, her eyes following the path of the stitches.

"You two," Kaede said, looking at Sango & Kagome. "Come with me to get some herbs for the child.

Jordan sat up a few minutes later.

"Damn, kid," she muttered, wiping a small bit of sweat off her forehead. "How are you _not_ dead?"

"Huh?" Caroline asked innocently.

"I mean that's one hell of a wound. It still hadn't stopped bleeding entirely," she said. "What have you gotten yourself into this time?"

Caroline faced forward, resting once again on her elbows. "I… I don't know," she muttered.

"You don't know?" Jordan asked, her ice blue eyes harboring an unreadable emotion.

"I… I don't remember…" Caroline said, her brown eyes searching far into her mind, trying to unlock an answer. "I don't know how I got this. It's like I remembered earlier last night, but between midnight & morning…"

"I see," Jordan answered. "Well, you started to fight against this weird girl, & Kohaku attacked you."

"Kohaku?" Caroline asked. "He did this?"

Jordan nodded.

"Sango tried to cover him. I think she's feelin pretty down about it too," she said.

"No need to be," Caroline said, shifting her head around as Jordan began working on the stitches again.

A silence lingered.

"Ed was real worried about you, you know," Jordan said.

"Niisan?" Caroline asked.

Jordan nodded. "He thought you would die. You've been out all night & half of today already. Sango nearly died from a similar wound as well."

Caroline looked forward. "What?" she said defiantly. "Not like it hurts or nothin."

Jordan's eyes raised as she paused for a minute. "Riight," she said, then continued.

A few minutes later, Caroline was all bandaged & stitched up.

"Aneue," the girl called.

"Ekai?" the girl asked, stretching & yawning.

"Why am I wearing the same outfit as that old lady?" she asked.

"Because you couldn't possibly get dressed in that stupid attire you usually wear, considering your condition," she answered.

"It's not stupid," Caroline argued. "But this is too big!" the girl answered, waving her arms madly.

"Don't move," Jordan said. "You'll reopen the wound. Plus," she added. "Everything's too big for you, pipsqueak."

"It's not that big!" Caroline yelled, flailing wildly. "& I'm not a pipsqueak! Plus, did you ever think there might be poison in the wound!"

Jordan blinked, & deciding to play this game for just a bit longer, added "So that's what I forgot to do."

Caroline's eyes widened & she slammed herself back onto the floor. She reached over to her jacket, which lay in a heap near her. She reached into the pocket, & suddenly tossed a knife to Jordan.

"Take that, open the wound back up, & get the poison out before I die!" the girl yelled, fearing for her life.

"Caroline," she muttered. "That'd be really cool if I opened the wound & got the poison out, but if you lose any more blood, you're going to die."

Caroline's eyes got wide, & Jordan laughed.

"Just a joke, just a joke," she said. "There's no poison there, kid. Made sure of it earlier."

Caroline sat up, beaming.

"You actually checked?" she asked.

"Uh… yes…" Jordan answered, her eyes shifting.

"Aneue!" she yelled, throwing her arms around the girl. "You really _do_ care!"

"Ekai, don't get me wrong," she said, her blue eyes twitching. "I'm glad you're not dead, I really am, but could you please stop doing that?"

---

The girl sat up, her back against the wall. She ate her cup of Ramen slowly for once in her life, relishing in its warm feeling.

Ed sat opposite of her across the room. His golden orbs looked up at her slowly, then back at his own dinner, twirling it around with his fork uneasily.

'She'd be better off,' he thought. 'Al needs someone there, right? Right. Maybe Hughes wouldn't mind taking care of her. Or maybe Hawkeye. She could spend more time with Winry too, couldn't she?'

He made up his mind. He stood up. All the others looked at him.

"Can I… have some time with my sister… privately?" he asked.

There was a minute of silence as others took the request in, then Kagome smiled.

"Sure, Ed," she said. "Take all the time you need. Come on, guys."

The others walked out in due time, leaving the two Elrics alone. Edward walked over, & sat by his sister. He placed an arm around her as she ate.

"How're you feeling?"

She began eating her Ramen quicker, obviously a sign of feeling better.

"Better than normal," she muttered, then looking around, reached for Jordan's unfinished cup, & began eating that as well.

He watched as she ate hurriedly. "Look," he said. "There's something I gotta ask you to do, only for your protection though."

She kept her eyes on the noodles. "Yeah?" she asked while eating.

"I… Well… Look," he stammered. "We've only been here a month," he said. "& this is the _second _time you've been hurt."

Her eyes narrowed as she sipped the remains of the food more slowly. "What are you getting at?" she asked.

"Well..." he said. "It's not something you're going to want to hear, but you're the youngest one here, besides Shippo."

"And?" she asked, setting the cup aside, & raising a brow.

"Well," he said. "I want you to give this up."

Her eyes widened, then she gave him a look that could melt metal, one that matched his look of anger. "You want me to go home?" she yelled, tearing away from his grasp.

"Look," he said. "You're obviously not ready for this kind of challenge we're on. You might get hurt even worse, or even more, _killed_."

Tears of anger rushed to her eyes. "So what?" she yelled. "Jordan gets to stay, & she's _14_!"

"Almost 15," he replied calmly. "From what I understand."

Tears of anger rushed to the rims of her eyes.

"So you're just going to abandon me now?" she asked, her eyes on the floor.

"Look," Ed said, reaching out his hand. "I'm only doing this for your own protect-"

"Don't touch me," she said coldly, her eyes burning holes through his heart as well.

The others came back in on their own watch, pretending they hadn't hurt everything that went on inside Kaede's hut.

& silence ensued most of the night, knowing that 24 hours later, their team wouldn't be the same.

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: alright… so who feels sad?

Jordan: i do… i got shingles!

Caroline: aw… poor aneue…. (teardrop) maybe we should cut u open & get the bad blood out!

Jordan: shut up ekai. --

Caroline: (dog whimper) meesh meh…I wanna go get my Halloween costume… ooh i wanna eat sushi 2! i go do that so u guys review otay? & keep reading cause the next chaptr… Caroline does sumthn no 1 would xpect… NO ONE oo….


	29. Betrayal

Caroline: ok… so r u ReAdY 2 c wut the hell Caroline's gonna do? srry if the chaptr seems a bit short… but this is all i wanted 2 fit in2 it SO BITE ME!

* * *

Chapter 29: Betrayal

She put on her coat, & folded the former attire she had been wearing earlier. She looked back through the doorway before she walked out. Apparently, Inuyasha had not been doing so well either, & he was, for once, sleeping. She frowned as her eyes gazed over her 'niisan'.

"Serves you right," she whispered, then stepped out into the darkness.

She shivered as she walked through the village, looking every way trying not to attract any attention from those awake. Once she was far enough from the village, she began running as hard & as fast as she could. Very soon, she was in a wooded area. Freedom, she thought. Forests, woods, large area full of trees, those were always freedom to her & her 'sister'. Leave them there, & they were as happy as a dog with a chew toy. She soon found herself deep in the woods, & slowed down, suddenly feeling a head ache coming on.

She walked on, feeling very dizzy, & then remembered what Jordan said about not moving for a while.

"Dammit to hell," Caroline muttered, one hand to her forehead. "Should've listened to her."

She began breathing harder, & once found herself a clearing, sat down. She laid on her back, tilting her head back on the grass. She saw a movement.

A small grey flying squirrel sat on a rock, its black eyes blinking & staring at the girl in amazement.

The girl rolled over to her stomach & propped herself up on one elbow, a childish sparkle in her brown eyes & an almost innocent smile on her face. She began petting the animal, stroking its small little head softly.

"Hey there, little guy," she muttered. "You're up, awfully late aren't you?"

The squirrel stood up on its hind legs & lifted its neck up, its front paws closing in on one of the girl's human fingers. It sniffed it, a curious look in its dark eyes.

The grin grew wider. "You're a friendly little guy, aren't you?" she spoke, kindness in her voice.

The creature suddenly bit her finger. The girl grabbed her hand back quickly.

"What the-" she stopped, & stood up. The creature stared, wanting the girl to return to her kinder ways toward the creature. Her brown eyes softened, feeling sorry for the poor thing. She looked down at her finger. It drew a little blood, but not much.

Caroline smiled softly, & put her hand back out. "Here, little guy, wanna come with me?" she asked.

The squirrel looked the happiest an animal could look, & jumped right into her hand. Her loyal new pet began licking the blood off her finger almost as for an apology.

She laughed. "Hey, you," she said, grabbing the thing off by the scruff of its neck. "That tickles."

The squirrel blinked.

"You're not gonna abandon me like Jordan's wolf did, are you?" she asked smiling at the animal as she placed it in her arms. The squirrel rubbed up against her chest. "Good."

With that, the girl turned, then gasped & stepped back a little in surprise.

Not more than 20 feet away, stood a figure. His long, black, curly hair flowed in the soft breeze.

"Hello, Caroline," he said, his voice deep & mysterious, hiding many things from her.

"Wha… what do you want?" she asked, taking a battle stance, & holding the squirrel a bit tighter. "& how do you know my name?"

"I know everything about you," the man said, stepping closer.

The squirrel broke free of her grasp, & hid in her coat pocket. The girl stepped backwards a step or two.

"You don't _know_ me, don't even try," she said.

"Your name is Caroline Elric, sister of the short blonde kid traveling with Inuyasha. You're a State Alchemist, known as the 'Forsaken Alchemist'. You were raised by that girl, Jordan & her brother because you were abandoned by your own father."

Caroline stared down at the ground, horrified that this… this… stranger knew everything about her. Suddenly a shadow loomed over her. A hand suddenly grabbed her chin, & tilted it upwards so that she was looking into his dark eyes.

"& that still haunts you, doesn't it, Caroline?" he asked, his voice half in mockery.

"Sh-shut up," she growled, trying to turn her head in another direction.

But the hand tilted it back towards his face.

"You tried to bring him back, didn't you? Even though it was forbidden, & because of that, you lost your arm. Correct?" he asked.

She growled, but did not answer.

"Correct?" he repeated.

"So you know everything about me, do you?" she answered instead.

A side of his smile upturned a little.

"How about this?" he asked. "You'll help me in my quest to get the jewel shards. I even have my own little team you can fight with instead of those unsufferable little brats you met."

She glared at him, & he let her have enough power to lower her head down a little, her brown eyes staying on target of his.

"& the equivalent exchange?" she asked.

He smiled. "I'll give you your arm back," he said. "Even let you _have _the jewel."

Her eyes widened. "The whole thing?" she gasped.

"Since you're such an… interesting child," he said.

He lowered his hand, & put it on the girl's shoulder. She looked down at the ground, her brown eyes lost in thought. She suddenly frowned, having made up her mind. She looked up into his face once more.

"Alright," she said. "I'll do it."

He smiled. "Come along then," he said, & the two began walking through the forest, him leading the way.

The squirrel appeared at Caroline's shoulders & made a small mewing sound in her ear.

"Oh, hush," she whispered.

'I know…" she thought. 'I don't trust him entirely either, but I'm so close, so very, very close to getting everything I wanted, & all I have to do is fight & find jewel shards. & I know I might have to fight the others, but I don't have to kill them right?'

She smiled as she looked ahead.

'So nothing can go wrong.'

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: dun dun duhhhhhhhhhh…. REVIEW! 


	30. Flesh, Blood, & Traps

Caroline: ooohhh gotta hurry!

* * *

Chapter 30: Flesh, Bood, & Traps 

Caroline's brown eyes looked down at her arm. She put it out, but held it close to her, as if not entirely trusting the man in front of her. A hand slowly reached down & rested upon her arm.

"Ready?"

She blinked, then looked down, stretching it out more.

"Yeah."

She closed her eyes, & through them saw a purple glow. A few moments later, & she opened her eyes.

Her arm, her real flash & blood arm was all there. No wires. No squeaks. No automail.

"You… you did it," she said amazed. She looked up, her eyes wide in admiration. "But how'd you do it? There was no equivalent exchange necessary at all!"

"I told you," he said. "You're going to help me find the jewel shards. It could take weeks, months, maybe even-"

"Woo!"

The man didn't even notice the girl had gotten out of his reach. She spun around in the middle of the room.

"My arm, my arm, my arm!" she yelled. "I can't believe it! It's finally back!"

A creepy look entered her eyes as she stopped, grabbing her new human arm.

"No more freezing metal when winter comes… no burning hot metal when summer arrives… I can finally feel the blood coursing through my veins…"

"That child… is insane," Kagura stated, waving a fan in front of her face as she entered the large room.

"But it's not shiny!" the child cried, turning around to face Naraku.

She stopped, noticing the woman, her brown eyes wide & innocent.

"Who's she?" she asked.

"I should be going now," Kagura stated, beginning to wander out of the room.

The girl ran up to Naraku, & grabbed on to him, much like a small child would.

"Who is she?" she repeated.

Naraku placed a hand on her head, much like Roy used to when she asked something about her father or he was just happy with the child.

Kagura turned, realizing that the young girl had forgotten everything of the battle that night.

"I'm Kagura, the wind sorceress…" she said.

"Wow…" Caroline said. "That's cool. Say-" she said, looking up at the man. "I forgot to ask… who are you?"

He smiled. "Many call me Naraku…"

Caroline's eyes widened, & she backed up a step or two.

"You… you…" she couldn't say anything more as she began to back up.

He just smiled at her.

"You cursed Miroku. You killed that Kikyo lady, & Inuyasha too," she said, tears welling in her eyes of what she had done, the promise she made. "You even had the nerve to kill off Sango's entire village. & you even use her own brother against her!"

Naraku just smiled. Caroline noticed a darkness behind her.

'A shadow…' she thought.

She turned around, & her eyes grew wide before she fell into darkness.

---

She awoke a few hours later, lying on the floor. She forced her eyes open, & sat up on her knees.

"Where am I?" she asked.

'Oh yeah,' her mind flashed. 'I was taken here by that strange man.'

She looked down, remembering something important.

Her arm was still there.

'So it wasn't a dream!'

She began looking around confusedly.

"Where… is everyone?" she asked aloud, a bit scared.

A laugh came from in front of her. She looked up. There was that man, sitting on a large chair in front of her.

If she hadn't already been on her knees, she would have fallen to them completely surprised. She took a few breaths.

"What… happened?" she asked him, confused.

"You were so excited about your arm that you completely fainted," he said. "Let's try to be a bit more careful next time, hm?"

She looked down at the ground. "Yes sir."

He smiled. He finally had the girl back in his trap. "By the way, you probably want to know who you're working under, correct?"

Her brown eyes looked up, focusing all attention on him.

"My name… is Naraku."

"Naraku sama?" she asked, taking it in.

He nodded.

"Well," he said. "I guess you'd better get some rest, considering you'll be starting your services tomorrow. Kagura will show you to your room."

Caroline nodded, & followed the wind goddess through the castle, leaving Naraku smirking.

'That girl is playing right into this game,' he thought. 'Making all the right moves, all the right choices, never once struggling.' He smiled. '& this Abandonment, as they call her…'

'She could come quite into use.'

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: AAAAAAAAHHHH I MUST GET 2 CLASS! R&R! 


	31. Sister?

Caroline: ok so im upd8ing ONCE AGAIN! neways… on w/ the story!

* * *

Chapter 31: Sister?

Caroline woke up, the warm Japan sunshine beaming into the windows to the room. It was so bright that she felt a warm feeling break upon her. She stood up, picking up her new pet, smiling, & began walking towards the room she remembered being in the night before. It was a lovely palace. A very large one too. Her own little quarters of the place… that was about as big as the daycare she used to go to. She began walking down that little throne, & sure enough, Naraku was sitting right there at the end of it.

"Good morning, Caroline," he said.

She rubbed the back of her neck, yawning & muttering an undecipherable greeting.

"I trust you've gotten enough rest?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She smiled, & stretched as high as she could.

"Yep," she said. "Entire- ow!" she shrieked, cutting off her last few words. She fell to her knees, grasping her back. She finally remembered how to breathe after a moment or two, pain in each breath.

"Hurt, are we?" he asked.

She grimaced, & stood up. "No," she answered quickly. "No I'm not."

He smiled. "Well, then," he said. "You'd best get to fighting, I suppose?"

She looked down at the ground, then looked back up, smiling.

"You know what?" she exclaimed. "I'm gonna take today off, alright?"

His dark eyes widened in confusion. For once, no one was taking his orders.

"I thought we made a d-" he stopped himself.

'Patience, patience,' he said to himself. 'She'll follow along soon enough.'

"Yes," he said. "As long as you don't get hurt."

---

"Roy?"

Roy Mustang looked down upon his little sister, raising an eyebrow in his own answer. She turned her head, her blue eyes meeting his dark ones.

"What do you think she did?"

"Who?" he asked. "Caroline?"

She narrowed her eyes, her own method of answer.

His own eyes looked forward, showing her he was indeed worried about her as well.

"There's no telling, Jordan," he said. "No telling whatsoever."

---

"Naraku-sama!"

The girl's eyes shone stars as she looked up at him.

"You didn't tell me what was in my closet!" she yelled, sounding like a child on Christmas Day.

He smiled.

"You think you can handle that?" he asked.

She frowned, her strong eyes showing the determination in her soul.

"Of course I can!" she said.

"You're sure are full of yourself," he said.

"Nope!" she exclaimed. "I'm just overconfident!"

He chuckled.

"Well, then, best we be on our ways, hm?" he asked, watching the girl play with the squirrel on her shoulder.

She laughed at the small, furry creature, then looked at Naraku.

"Mmhmm," she said, nodding.

She began to run off to her quarters, feeling much better than earlier, before his voice stopped her.

"Caroline?"

She turned around.

"Might I suggest you change your appearance?"

The girl looked a bit confused for a moment, then her eyes widened, understanding, & they narrowed as she nodded.

---

She stood in front of a large, transmuted mirror in her room. She blinked, admiring her new attire. The only thing supplied to her other than her new weapon was an attire very similar to Sango's, only with light blue armor. She smiled at herself reassuringly, then looked at her hands. She closed her eyes, hoping that this would work. She clapped & lifted her hands to her hair. When she opened her eyes, black hair had replaced her light brown color.

She grabbed the weapon, slinging the strap over her shoulder. It was around the size of Sango's boomerang, so she had to keep a good hold of it, but it was metal, & in a shape of those stars ninjas carried. She turned around, & jumped when she saw the boy in the doorway.

He jumped back too, looking somewhat timid.

"Uh, I…" he said. "Naraku-sama asked me to go with you."

She blinked, thinking it through, then nodded.

"Sure."

---

They walked through the fields quietly.

"What's your name?" Caroline asked, looking at the boy.

"Oh," he said. "My name… well… Naraku sama calls me Kohaku."

"Kohaku, huh?"

'That name…' she thought. 'It sounds awfully familiar… come to think of it…' She looked at him, studying his looks carefully. 'He has a bit of a resemblance to Sango…'

"What?" he asked. "Something wrong?"

"Oh, uh…" she stopped, blushing slightly. "No… nothing… never mind."

He looked up at her into her brown eyes.

'Sister,' he thought. 'Is that you?'

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: awww… tear… poor kohaku-kun… he dont member... O WELL R&R! 


	32. The Strange Girl

READ THIS IF U HAVE A HEART…

Caroline: OMG yall… 2day was AWFUL for the ENTIRE 8th grade! sumthing AWFUL happend to 1 of my best friends… last nite… her brothr killd himself… it was SO hard not 2 break down CRYING 2day! neither me OR Jordan were acting like ourselves 2day…

Jordan: its tru…

Caroline: i feel SO bad 4 her tho… im seriously crying rite now… i lost a cousin 2 suicide but that's like… NOTHING compared 2 her situation… he was SERIOUSLY her best friend! she talkd about him ALL the time & alex said she took a picture of him wednesday & was SO happy about it… the worst part is shes disconnected her phone so it makes me think if she doesn't wanna talk on the phone y would she want us 2 visit her? i feel SOOOO bad 4 her. im worryd about her 2 becuz shes so nice & innocent so how does this affect her? man, listening 2 'fade away' by seether isn't helping rite now!

Jordan: it probly doesn't…

Caroline: yea… next time I see tyler & Suzanne im just gonna hug them & start crying

Jordan: PRAY 4 BLAIN!

* * *

Chapter 32: The Strange Girl

Caroline gazed up at the large snakelike demon. She grasped the strap of her weapon, her brown eyes narrowing & showing courage.

Kohaku stepped back, fearing the creature. Caroline put an arm out, guarding him.

"Protect yourself," she ordered. "Be careful, Kohaku."

With that, she sprang forward, & slung the star towards the monster. The demon dodged it quickly, slithering towards them both, its large fangs glittering in the moonlight.

Caroline caught the weapon, her eyes wide. She jumped out of the way, & tried once more at slinging it. She barely missed this time.

"Good job, Caroline!" Kohaku cried.

She smiled, catching the weapon in her hands, then gasped.

"Kohaku-kun!" she yelled.

Kohaku turned, & screamed as he noticed the giant demon just feet away. He put his hands to his face quickly, trying to guard, then noticed something. Nothing happened. He opened his eyes & looked up.

Caroline stood in front of him, struggling with trying to keep the demon back with the weapon in her hands.

"Car… oline?" Kohaku asked, confused.

"Just… distract him…" she said, strength in her voice.

He blinked, afraid, but then nodded. He'd have to put his fear aside for now, just as she did.

He ran out into the clearing, leading the demon from Caroline.

The giant hissed at him. He closed his eyes.

'Please end this fighting soon…' he thought.

"Kohaku! Duck!"

In answer to her voice, Kohaku dived towards the ground. A few seconds later he heard metal slice through skin.

He opened his eyes slowly, the snake's head landing not far from him.

"Ahh!" he screamed in surprise.

Caroline walked towards him, her brown eyes beaming with joy. She held the weapon over her shoulder.

"Good job, Kohaku," she said. "We got four shards from this thing!"

She noticed him grimace with pain, holding his right ankle.

"Hm?" she asked, kneeling beside him. "Did you get hurt, Kohaku-kun?"

He nodded, pain in his eyes. Her brown eyes softened, staring into his own. She looked down at his ankle, & studied it. Quickly her hands grabbed it, & rotated it.

Kohaku gasped I pain a little, & grimaced.

"Just sprained," Caroline said. "But not broken." She looked up at him, kindness overpowering the determination in her eyes. "But you still can't walk, can you?" she asked.

He shook his head, & all too quickly, Caroline had thrown the weapon to his side.

"You think you can hold it?" she asked.

He put it on his back, having trouble standing, & all too quickly, the boy was placed on the girl's back. He felt a bit guilty, knowing he wasn't much lighter than she.

"You don't have to carry me all the way-"

She turned & smiled, trying to hide obvious struggle.

"It's okay," she said. "Really."

'Sister...' he thought, falling asleep on her shoulders.

---

Kagura appeared in the middle of the forest suddenly.

Caroline blinked, a bit confused for a moment, then thrust out her lower lip.

"About damn time," she said. "Do you know _how _long I've been-"

She stopped, afraid she might wake the boy.

She looked at Kagura, & carefully slid him off her shoulders, grabbing her weapon as she fell. She began to walk towards Kagura's message of transportation.

"Nice... feather you got there," Caroline said, giggling with her random sense of humor.

Kagura raised an eyebrow.

"Naraku sent a message, girl," she said.

"My name's Caroline!" she said, sounding downright childish.

Kagura ignored the fact the girl had said anything. "He told you to continue with your duties..." she turned around to face her once again. "Until further notice..."

Caroline opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing until slowly nodding.

"I shall obey..." she said, her cheeks slightly going red & her eyes gazing anywhere but forward, the same reaction to obeying anything from anyone.

With that, Kagura & Kohaku were both gone.

---

The girl kneeled at Naraku's feet, her light brown hair falling in front of her face.

"You're more useful than I could have ever imagined," Naraku said, his lips curving into a smile. "The girl's forgotten everything Inuyasha & his friends have _ever _told her, leading to me of course."

The girl smirked, giving him a mirror image of his new little warrior.

"Shall I make her forget everything about them?" she asked.

Naraku pondered the thought, the girl's smirk growing wider at the thought of it.

"No," he said, coming to his decision.

The girl looked disappointed for a moment, then grinned.

"That tortures her mind more, I presume?" she asked.

Naraku made no answer, but his lips curled into a smile.

---

Caroline yawned as she wandered the forest.

"Golly," she said to herself. "It sure is late..."

Suddenly a chittering sound, & the girl noticed her small pet had joined her on her shoulder. She rubbed its head softly.

"Ed would never let Al keep a cat," she said softly. "He'd yell at me if I ever brought you around."

The girl wandered sleepily through the forest most of the night, even falling asleep at some points. However, at one point, lack of sleep came to be too much for the young girl to take.

---

Her dreams of pain, guilt, & overall angst came to a halt as a finger tapped her lightly. She looked up, her brown eyes half-opened. She suddenly jumped back.

"Uh... sorry..." she replied.

The blue-eyed girl just stared at her.

"I like your weapon," she said.

Caroline smiled, & stood up, showing off her weapon.

"Well," she said. "It's the new hit of the 1900s! It's made from the finest quality wood money can buy! & this here strap-" she grabbed it & rubbed it between her fingertips. "Is made from the finest, most ornate silk in all of the land!"

Okay so she over exaggerated a bit... no big deal.

Jordan blinked. "Well that's all nice & everything but it's not made from wood, & how would you know about the 1900s?"

She stood corrected.

"Uhh..."she scratched the back of her neck & laughed nervously. "Well... see, I-"

"Jordan, who are you talking to?" Roy asked, stepping out of the bushes.

"Crap," she said. "You just _had _to find me, didn't you?"

"Well," Miroku said. "You can't exactly run off into the forest & act like a wolf all day."

"Maybe I want to," Jordan said, her voice hard & cold.

"Who's... she?" Sango asked.

Everyone looked at Caroline, wide-eyed.

"Are you from a demon slaying village?" Shippo asked, hopping onto Miroku's shoulder.

Caroline laughed nervously, then shook her head.

"Nope, just on my own!" she said, grasping her weapon.

Kagome waltzed through the bushes, following Inuyasha.

"Hi there," she said, waving to Caroline. Caroline noticed the necklace with jewel shards slip out, & dangle around her neck.

Caroline stopped. She could attack, then & there. She could take them all on with no trouble.

"You know, you _could _have told me where we were going!"

Everyone looked as the blonde-haired alchemist made his way into the clearing.

Caroline grasped her weapon, & prepared to attack, targetting her 'brother', but decided now was not a good time. She felt highly uncomfortable with her 'plan' now, & gave a little smile, then turned.

"Hey!" Kagome said. "Where are you going?"

Caroline turned & smiled once more at them.

"Oh," she said. "I have to get going. See ya!"

With that, she began walking away.

"Strange girl," Sango said.

The words repeated themselves in Jordan's mind.

'Of course it's strange,' she thought. 'Her voice is the same... motions, actions, facial expressions are all hers... & especially the look in her eyes.' She came upon a decision as she turned the way the girl had left. '& there's one thing to do now.'

The girl began running as fast as she could, howling & adding more wolf like antics as she went.

Little did Caroline know she was being followed.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: read & review... & PLLLEEEAZ PRAY 4 BLAIN! 


	33. Not the Same

Caroline: hey guys! srry.. i hadnt upd8d in like... a week. i was out monday nite chases (blains bros) visitation & i talkd 2 her. poor thing.. her grand dad got dehydr8d & was in the hospital the whole time... well aftr satrday i think... Tuesday i went 2 his funeral & i CRYD (something i NEVER do) so hard cuz his best friend got up ther 2 speak & it reminded me of me n jordan whn he said 'the best times i had w/ chase was 2 am on weeknites at the wynlakes golf course' (wynlakes is a really fancy neighborhood they live in) but uh... yea. plus i didnt feel like posting cuz i got the FMA WHOLE SERIES YEA BABII for makin all As! so ive been watchin it ALL WEEK! im gnna hav myself a marathon 2morro w/ me, my fma, candy (if i can find any), & popcorn. Neways thanx 4 those of yall who r praying 4 blain- she came back to skool 2day & i got 2 talk 2 her in science! she seems 2 b doin VERY well. Shes the same, hyper, sweet old blain & those of u who hav had sumthn like this happn 2 u im very srry but god makes evrything happn 4 a reason & tho it may not seem so, good will come out of it somehow.

may god bless u

NOW READ DUMBASSES!

* * *

Chapter 33: Not the Same

Caroline walked to the front of Naraku's castle, looking around, making sure no one was following.

Jordan's eyes narrowed. 'Who _is _this girl?' she wondered.

Once assured, she clapped her hands together.

'No...' Jordan thought. 'No way that's her.'

Suddenly black hair faded to light brown, & the girl was familiar. She gasped, amazed the girl she had grown up with would do such a thing, then began to run off.

'I've got to tell Ed,' she thought. 'Roy, anyone, & get her back before-'

Suddenly she came to a halt. Her blue eyes became dilated, & she fell to her knees, everything around her going black.

---

She sat her weapon near the doorway. "Naraku-sama! I'm-" she stopped, seeing nothing around her. "Na... raku-sama... Kohaku-kun... Kag-"

She gasped in surprise, feeling a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, grinning.

"Naraku-sa-" she stopped once more, realizing something, then frowned. "You're not... Naraku-sama."

The figure behind her grinned. His eyes were filled with malice & hate, & the look on his face almost frightened her. The hand on her shoulder grasped more firmly, & before the girl could react, he had both of her hands held tightly behind her back. He forced her forward.

"Who... are you?" she growled.

He didn't answer, but Caroline could almost feel the happiness he got out of her pain. Suddenly, the girl was thrown to her knees at the foot of the throne. The hand on her shoulder quickly moved to the top of her head, forcing her to look upwards at the one sitting on it.

"N... Naraku-sama... I-"

Caroline realized, however, she wasn't looking at Naraku. She was looking at someone who very much resembled her. She wore a black tank top showing her stomach, & a short black skirt. The look in her brown eyes was pain, but the look on her face didn't look much like it. The girl just smirked.

Caroline stared forward, her eyes widening a bit in fright, & her little heart beating a bit faster than it should have.

"Wha...What's going on?" she asked innocently.

The girl just smiled, & in a blink of an eye, Caroline was in mental torture.

The girl heard nothing but her own screams as pain erupted from the inside. Moving pictures, those that had filled her mind before, were taking over once more.

"No..." she muttered. "It's not real..." Tears streaked down her face as the pictures played for what seemed like an eternity to her. However everything came to an end as everything faded into darkness.

---

She awoke, lying on her stomach. Her eyes fluttered open, & she sat up.

"Wh... where am-" she jumped, seeing nothing around her but swirls of purple & black.

"You're inside your mind, Elric."

The girl turned around, her brown eyes dilated in fear.

"Who... _what _are you?" she asked, remembering the figure.

The girl continued walking toward her. She suddenly stopped, maybe about fifteen feet away from the girl.

"Those that know me call me Abandonment." There was a pause as she looked down upon the girl. "So you're the great Caroline Elric?"

Caroline just stared forward, ready to jump up & fight if necessary.

"The alchemist who can transmute without an array? The second female State Alchemist? The Forsaken Alchemist?"

Caroline gave an overconfident smile, & faced towards the ground, her eyes closed.

"Look," she said. "I could listen to a biography about myself & all but-"

"The girl who performed Human Transmutation?"

Caroline looked up, her eyes wide in amazement, anger, & confusion.

"How did you know?" she asked.

The girl smirked.

"It's very easy to know," she said. "When you're the idiot who created me."

Caroline's arms began shaking in fear & denial. She put one hand to her forehead.

"No..." she said. "No I didn't. I didn't create you."

Abandonment's eyes grew more intense with every bit of fear & denial the girl showed.

"Of course you did, remember? You were crying & whimpering, & screaming for your daddy to come back," she teased.

Caroline looked up, her eyes intense with anger, her teeth showing.

"Shut... up..."

"You remember, don't you?" the girl asked, raising an eyebrow.

Caroline growled, but realized the truth of it, & the fact that she was defeated. Tears began streaking down her face, remembering that horrible night.

"Daddy's little girl scared?" she asked, teasing the girl. She smirked, her brown eyes intense with happiness. She walked closer to Caroline, watching the girl stay lost in her thoughts. The girl finally broke from her thoughts as she noticed Abandonment standing in front of her. Her head shot up, but the girl was too quick for her.

She grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, holding her up with great ease. She suddenly began chuckling to herself.

"What's so funny?" Caroline growled, struggling to free herself from the girl's grasp.

"Nothing, nothing," she said. "It's just funny how you & I are almost the same."

Caroline gave her no chance to continue as she punched her across the face. The girl let go of Caroline, staggering backwards, panting just a little. She leaned forward, placing her hands on her knees. She looked up at Caroline, who had taken a position, ready to fight.

She smiled. "You pretend to be tough, don't you?"

Caroline crossed her arms, closing her eyes.

"Heh," she said. "None of your business."

"You lie because you aren't."

Caroline's brown eyes opened, looking at the girl in denial.

The girl just stood up & stretched. "You're a mystery, Caroline Elric," she said. "From the reason why you were left on a doorstep to why you would attempt to bring the bastard back who did. From the reason you appear happy when you are torn apart from the inside out. & for the reason why your eyes look so strong, so determined, so much like your brother's when all it takes-"

Caroline clenched her fists & began running at the girl, her eyes intense as if on fire. The girl dodged easily.

"Is one fall to break you."

She stuck out her foot suddenly, & Caroline fell to her feet.

Abandonment laughed, & turned, walking away.

Caroline glared daggers through her.

"You could _never_ break me."

The smirk widened even further as she turned back towards the girl.

"Just watch me."

A snap of the fingers, & her scream filled the air once more.

---

When Caroline remembered how to open her eyes, which must have been hours later, she found herself trembling. Her heart beat at a fast pace, leaving the child breathing hard & shakily. Her brown eyes were wide, hoping nothing would happen next. Her arms could barely support her as she brought herself to her knees, hearing Naraku say her name.

"S... sir?" she asked.

"Do you understand what you did wrong?"

Caroline stared at the ground & blinked, silence answering her question as a drops of blood ran down the side of her face.

"Do _not _hold back on anyone or anything," he said. "Especially Inuyasha & the others."

Caroline tried to object, but couldn't find the strength to say anything.

"It will be much worse next time you disobey," Naraku said coldly.

He paused as the girl looked toward the ground.

"You may retire," he said after watching the girl stare at the ground in fear.

The girl stood up quickly, almost falling to her feet, her muscles still shaking in fear, & walked off.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: yea... sumwut of a 'wierd' chaptr i guess... i guess u could considr it a bit creepy. neways i gtta go watch my FMA COMPLETE SERIES YEA! r&r! 


	34. Bonding With Kagura

Caroline: srry i hadnt upd8d in a while guys! i truly am! i was gonna upd8 last nite but i was on the phon w/ james n jordan! we went 2 eastchase 2day! i got a red fleece hoodie from american eagle cuz it was SO soft! i came up w/ a lil game while ther 2... it was calld 'capture fullmetal' they couldnt find me! no siriusly- 1 time they both walkd strait past me! it was funn... until jordan got me -- funn killr. well not really it was still funn! i got an azumanga daioh book cuz i heard it was funny! i LUVV it now! i act lots like toyo. omg jordans got like... a TWIN n that book! her names sayaki! shes funny! i highly recommend if u like humor! AAAH i talk 2 much! onward cow!

* * *

Chapter 34: Bonding With Kagura

Caroline woke up, her breathing unsteady. Her heart was pounding, & she had been having nightmares the whole night.

"Damn," she said sitting up. She stifled a whimper suddenly as her head began throbbing. She stood up, & walked over to the mirror, peeling off the bandage covering her cheek.

A drop of blood fell from her cheek to the floor. She sighed, disappointed that the wound was still there, among many other cuts & bruises. The squirrel ran up onto her shoulder loyally, & focused on the cut, giving a small chitter. She rubbed its head softly as she placed the bandage on once more.

"How did I get myself into this mess?" she asked aloud, as she laid back down once more, the moonlight pouring over her.

---

"So, you will fight today?" Naraku asked. "With nothing restraining you from Inuyasha & the others?"

The girl nodded, her eyes toward the ground.

"Yes, Naraku-sama," she said.

There was a long silence before the girl headed out of the castle.

Weeks passed. Summer nights became chillier, & leaves began to fall. Those who had been left in the dark of the hanyou's secret soon found out, & all was going well for the eight of them. Caroline was still Naraku's little warrior, & had done an excellent job of collecting jewel shards, sometimes bringing Kohaku along, acting as a sister to him. In fact, the jewel was close to finished.

"Naraku-sama?" Caroline asked, kneeling before him one morning.

"Yes, child?"

"If I... Do I..."

"Go on," Naraku said, noticing the child's nervousness.

"Do I have to fight Koga?" she asked fastly.

He smiled just a bit. "I believe Kagura can take care of him," she said.

Caroline breathed a sigh of relief.

"But you'd have to bother with the little one."

"Wha-" she said, looking up, bewildered. "What? You mean Kiyoshi?"

"Is there a problem?" he asked, raising an eyebrow threateningly.

"Yes, well... no," she said. "Just..."

"Remember your promise, girl," he said.

She sighed, as ever, slightly angry with herself for promising something expecting so much of her.

She got up, & joined Kagura.

---

Caroline sat there, staring over the land of Japan stretched below her.

"You're being awfully quiet, today," Kagura muttered, breaking her of her thought line.

Caroline smiled nervously, & gave a small laugh. "Yeah, well..." she said.

"Well what?" Kagura snapped.

"It's just... I don't really like the way Naraku _does_ things," she said.

"That makes two of us," Kagura said.

"Really?" Caroline asked, amazed. "I thought you were a part of Naraku, though."

"That doesn't mean I have to like him does it?" she asked, leaving Caroline in silence for a minute.

"Why don't you just, I dunno, tell him that?"

Kagura looked at the girl in question. "Do you have any idea what he'd do if I failed him?"

"What?" Caroline asked, raising an eyebrow. "You could totally kick his ass."

"As could you. Why don't you?"

Caroline's expression altered. "Well..."

"Naraku has a way of overpowering people," Kagura explained. She looked at the girl like a mother would, disappointed, but not mad, at a child's actions. "Why did you join him?"

"I thought it would be great having this arm back," she said, showing her left arm. "& it has been. I regained what I lost a long time ago."

"Would you rather be free?" Kagura asked, gaining the girl's full attention. "Off searching with your brother, your friends?"

The question put her back in thought for a while.

"Yes. Yes I would. I could-" Caroline stopped. "_We_ could run away, Kagura. You could come with me to Inuyasha, & the others."

Kagura smiled. "I don't think so. I've taken my chance once, & it ended horribly."

"But... It won't this time, Kagura. I promise."

"Don't make any promises backing up a lie, child. Those who team with Naraku," her eyes narrowed. "Will come to a horrid end."

Caroline looked down, her eyes sad & looking like a dog that expected praise for good actions.

The feather glided lower & lower to the ground, & suddenly the two were standing in front of Koga.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: ONWARD! 


	35. Two Sisters

Caroline: ok me n jordan FINALLY fite n this chaptr! enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 35: Two Sisters

She was running, running, running, bounding through the forest. She never ran away from a fight, but she was afraid this time. Her mind often told her to turn around & fight that wolf demon, but she pushed herself onward, afraid that she would cause serious harm to the demon- Kiyoshi's brother. But mostly, she was scared to return to Naraku. It was inevitable, & she rarely, if ever, broke a promise. She never tried to admit to herself that she was scared of any certain thing, but that of course, was inevitable. She had disobeyed once more, & the thought kept going through her mind that it would be worse this time. The worst part was, whenever she was like that, going through that torture, she felt completely helpless. That girl, Abandonment was too quick, too fast, & wished nothing for her but pure torture. That, & death soon to follow. & honestly, Caroline wished death to follow that. The pure horror of it was just unbearable. But the girl was broken away from her thoughts as her foot caught something.

The girl yelped as she tripped on a root, landing face-down in the middle of a pathway through the thick forest. Dirt landed on her cheeks, & on her outfit, & a scrape appeared on her chin, bleeding lightly. She coughed, then opened her eyes. She looked up. There stood eight familiar faces.

"Hey, it's that girl," Kagome said, pointing to her as the group stopped. "Hey, are you oka-"

'Now's my chance.'

Caroline jumped up, almost to fall down once more from the weight of her weapon. "Don't touch me," she yelled, Kagome coming to a halt behind Inuyasha. The girl panted, trying to regain balance. Her expression changed, her eyes narrowing. "Give me the jewel shards," she said coldly. "Or else."

"Just who the hell do you think you-"

The hanyou was cut off as the huge shuriken flew just past his head.

"What the... hell?" he asked.

Caroline saw it disappear into the fog, her eyes widening.

'Damn,' she thought, 'If that's gone, then I'll have to use alchemy. Damn them, they won't give me enough time to _draw _a circle.' She looked at her hands. 'If I use these, then I'll definitely-'

Something orange caught her eye, & she ducked quickly as the same weapon she'd thrown flew straight back at her, literally on fire. Caroline turned, watching it fly off behind her, then turned back, her teeth bared. Jordan stood at the front of the group, her eyes narrowed straight back at the girl.

Caroline growled, & rushed towards her, pulling the sword from her side. The two fought their way from the group, & into the woods, one holding a sword made completely of flame, the other with a katana. It was when the swords were being pushed together, blocking each other from attacking the other, at the same angle & at the exact same force. Caroline growled once more, & lifted her sword up once more, earning a minor burn on her side. She tried to strike once more, but her enemy blocked her as easily as ever. Caroline's eyes widened, thinking the plan she had made would work for sure, & didn't even notice her sword had been knocked away until two hands grabbed her neck from the behind, one hand over her mouth, the other around her stomach, restraining the girl.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Caroline managed to break free from the hand around her mouth.

"What do you mean?" she growled, the look in her eyes intense enough to burn metal.

"You know exactly what I mean," the girl said, her voice angry & cold. One she had inherited from her brother. "The movements, actions, everything are all hers. You _are_ Caroline."

Caroline fought, shook her head wildly, & tried to kick in denial as the hand was placed over her mouth again.

"Don't think you're fooling me, you idiot," Jordan said, obviously serious. "I _know_ who you are, & I don't know what the hell you're thinking, but-"

Caroline broke away suddenly by elbowing the girl in the ribs. She staggered back a few feet, & it had almost been a effort to remain breathing. An effort she hid well. The two girls gave each other identical glares.

"Stay... away... from me," Caroline said, a mix of hate & betrayal in her voice. She ran off in the direction they had come from, the same memory playing in both their minds.

The last time the two girls had a fight like this was long ago... At least seven years ago. Both remembered every moment of it.

_Caroline's eyes were wide open. They examined the wall as she lay on her side. She rolled over, examining the floor, the opposite wall, & then focused her eyes on the window. She could see the bricks of the other building, separated by a single, dark alley. A gleam of moonlight lit the way to the door once the girl got up, a blanket clenched tightly. She quietly opened the door, & tiptoed through the upstairs hallway. She looked around, making sure Roy wasn't around. She quietly opened, the door, seeing if her partner in crime was awake._

_She saw her sitting cross-legged on her bed, her blue eyes heavily focused on the huge book, the writing lit by a single candle._

_Caroline grinned, & ran over to the side of the bed._

"_Whatcha doin?" she asked._

_The girl refused to answer silently. Caroline blinked, still waiting, & repeated her question once more. Still no answer._

_She tugged at the girl's pantsleg._

"_Aneu-"_

_She gave a small yelp, & almost a whimper as her hand was slapped away. The girl's heart sunk. She didn't know what she had done wrong._

"_A... neue..." she said, her bottom lip quivering. "What did I do?"_

"_Nothing," she answered, her eyes still focused on the book._

_Caroline looked down at the ground. "You want me to leave?"_

_The girl sat in thought for a moment, then answered "No, but you have to be quiet."_

_The brunette grinned her toothy grin, & leapt onto the end of the bed suddenly, trying to look over what Jordan was looking at. She suddenly noticed something caught under her foot. She lifted her foot just enough so that she could remove it. She blinked innocently as her eyes looked over the jotted notes, & the highly detailed circles drawn._

"_I didn't know you could draw circles like that," she said. "Can I show Roy?"_

_The papers were suddenly snatched from her hand._

"_No," she said, her blue eyes glaring daggers through the young girl. "You weren't even supposed to see them." There was a silence as she shuffled the papers, placing them on the stand beside her bed. "Why don't you just go to bed? Or mind your own business?"_

_Caroline ignored the question as her eyes gazed over the heading at the top of the page. "Human... Transmutation?" Her innocent eyes looked up, widened in confusion & fear. "Didn't Roy-san say that was a bad form of alchemy?"_

"_It's none of your concern," Jordan answered, looking down at the book once more._

"_It is, isn't it?" Caroline asked, slamming her hands down on the bed. She sat on her hands & knees, trying to look the girl in the eye. "Aneue, don't do it. Please."_

"_What are you gonna do about it?" she asked, her eyes focused on the book._

_Tears rolled down the girl's face, hurt that she could do nothing. Finally, she picked up the book & threw it to the floor. Jordan looked at the book then at the girl. Caroline was scared, oh, she was scared as hell, but she tried to keep a tough face on. She jumped down from the bed._

"_I'll tell Roy if you do," Caroline said, her voice shaking as she clenched her fists. "I swear I will if you try. &- &..." Jordan stood in front of her now. Caroline backed up, but kept a straight face. "I'll tell your parents when they get here!"_

"_They're not coming," Jordan said, suddenly stopping._

_Caroline found herself against a wall._

"_You said they would. Remember, Aneue?" she said, pointing one finger at her. "Their anniversary was today, right? They're coming! You said they-"_

_She stopped as Jordan grabbed her by the collar. Tears streaked down the girl's face._

"_A...neue?" Caroline asked, her face softening._

"_They're not coming back," she said softly, a mix of sadness & anger dripping from her voice. "Don't you get it? They died today."_

_Caroline remembered that night, walking in from the park, when she saw the two siblings crying._

"_A... Aneue..." she muttered. "I'm... I'm sorry. I dunno what to say."_

"_Yeah, well..." she said, her arms now on the girl's shoulders. "There's nothing to say. My parents are dead. & I can never see them again."_

_Caroline broke free of the girl's grasp, & walked to the door silently. She opened it quietly & when only her shadowy figure could be seen, she whispered "At least you knew them."_

_After that, the younger Mustang never studied Human Transmutation again._

The night those two became sisters. That was the last time the two girls had given each other those looks of hate. That was the last serious fight the two had gotten into. & that was the last time the elder watched the younger walk away.

Until now... & things told her they were just going to get uglier. A _lot _uglier.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: since im feeling SO generous u guys bettr sure as HELL review... 


	36. Kiyoshi Returns

Caroline: once again another chaptr w/ Kiyoshi in it... if anyone here is a KiyoshiCaroline fan... enjoy the moments they hav 2gethr!

* * *

Chapter 36: Kiyoshi Returns

She walked through the forest, limping a bit from a battle wound. She sighed & rubbed her shoulder, the strap of her weapon rubbing on it just a bit.

"Geez," she muttered. "Never thought she'd get so worried."

She coughed suddenly, a drip of blood rolling down her chin. Her eyes widened as she tasted it & realized what it was. She felt the burn on the side of her stomach through the fabric of her outfit. The fabric was wet & sticky.

"It's bleeding," she whispered. She put her fingers to her tongue, biting on the tips a bit, & licking some of the blood away. She edged onward, & found a large tree to rest under.

She sat down, content, & placed her weapon a few feet off. She sighed & looked up at the tree, & the moon shining through the leaves. She didn't intend to fall asleep, but her eyes fluttered as they closed peacefully.

---

"Sesshomaru-sama! Look!"

Those were the first words Caroline heard when she came to. Her eyes looked upon 3 figures in front of her. One, a young girl, maybe seven or eight, smiling down at her. Another, a hideous frog... toad... thing demon. & when she saw the next, Oh God- it was like Heaven!

"Oh my freakin God!" Caroline yelled, jumping up to her reaction of the handsome demon. She suddenly winced, grabbing the place her wound was.

"Are you hurt?" the girl asked.

"Be quiet, you stupid child!" the toad thing yelled. "She's obviously not h-"

Foot met head.

"Shut up, you... you... you thing!" Caroline yelled, her teeth bared.

Mood swing.

"Of course not, little girl," Caroline said, her voice happy & perky. "I'm perfectly fine."

"But..."

"But what?" Caroline asked, rubbing the back of her neck.

"You're bleeding."

Caroline looked down. The girl wasn't lying.

"So I am," Caroline muttered, blinking. Her eyes narrowed as she looked back up. "Damn, that's one hell of a burn." There was a small silence. "So," Caroline said. "What's your name?"

"Well," the girl said. "My name is Rin. What you just kicked was Master Jaken, & over there is Sesshomaru-sama."

"So," Caroline asked, swaying back & forth with a grin inherited from her brother. "What's Sesshomaru-sama's number?" she whispered into the girl's ear.

"Number?" Rin asked, confused of what the girl could possibly mean by a 'number'.

Caroline ran up to Sesshomaru.

"Hey Sesshomaru-sama!" she yelled. "Boxers or briefs?"

The man just gave her an indifferent stare, his gold eyes half-lidded. Oh God, Caroline hoped he didn't know how sultry he looked right then.

"Nothing!" Caroline yelled. "That's good too! Single or taken?"

The same thing happened again.

"How old are you?"

"Rin," the man said in a monotone voice. "Jaken, let's go."

"Can I come?" Caroline begged. "Oh please, oh please, oh pretty please?" She was ashamed to fall on her knees in front of him, but hey, he _was_ dead sexy. When she opened her eyes, the three were far ahead of her.

"Hey, wait up!" she yelled, running after them.

---

Caroline actually remained quiet most of the time she was with them, & at some point, stopped letting her affection for this strange demon show, both very, very hard for the poor Elric.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" Caroline asked, when Rin had fallen asleep next to the fire the girl had accomplished to make. Growing up with pyros could come in handy sometimes. Caroline stood up & ran to the spot Sesshomaru was standing at.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" she repeated. "Hey are you listenin to me?" she yelled impatiently, putting her hands on her hips.

He just continued staring forward.

"I'm goin in the forest, kay?" she asked.

He nodded slightly, acknowledging the fact.

The girl grabbed her weapon, & wandered into the woods. She turned once more, as she put the shuriken on her back.

"I'll be back before dawn, okay?" she asked.

His only answer would be staring forward.

---

Caroline walked through the forest. Somehow she was starting to get bad influences about this Naraku guy, like she remembered hearing bad things about him before, but she couldn't remember what. Anyways, she had decided to just get this work for him over with. She was sick of being his servant.

She had come to the decision of stealing the shards. They would all be asleep, right? Of course. The plan was perfect, she thought. But then, a flaw hit her.

They would all be asleep... _except for Inuyasha._

Okay, so she would take him down. Easy. But wouldn't a battle wake everyone up?

"Damn!" the girl yelled, slamming her back against a tree, & sliding down to sitting position. "Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn!" she yelled. "Why must plotting be so hard?" She growled. "& who the hell is stalking me?"

It was true. Caroline thought someone had been following her the whole time, but waited till the right moment to yell that out. There was a rustle & she thought she heard a small "Eep!" Caroline stood up as quietly as she could, & aimed in the direction she thought it came from.

The shuriken sliced through a tree easily, which fell & showed her stalker. His eyes were wide & blinked, a scared look on his face.

"I'm... uhh..." he started nervously.

She grabbed the top part of his armor, pulling him down & catching the weapon with one hand.

She looked back down at him a few minutes later, him smiling nervously as she looked at him indifferently, the weapon raised.

"Please don't hurt me!" he yelled, talking very fast. "I didn't mean to make you mad, honest! You just reminded me of someone & I was-"

She put a hand over his mouth.

"Shut up, will ya!" she yelled. "Sheesh," she said. "I'm more mad at ya for talkin then stalking me!"

The boy sat there, blinking as she turned away. She suddenly stopped, & looked back at him.

"Who... did I remind you of?" she asked.

"Well," he said. "You see, it sounds kinda lame, but there was this girl I knew. She came from the future, or so she said. She was smart, cute, & she was a good friend. Stubborn-willed, insanely determined, & well... crazy, but a good-friend. A couple of days ago we were fighting a strange lady... She called herself 'Lust' or something. She was killed."

Caroline blinked, & turned, very, very confused.

"What did... this girl look like?" she asked.

"Well, she..." he blushed slightly. "She looked a lot like you, but she had much lighter hair."

Caroline almost spit it out, but decided not to.

"Well," she said. "Come on. Let's go."

She offered him a hand, helping him up, & the two wandered off into the forest.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: ok thn... MAN AM I TIRED OF TYPING. **HUGE OFFER: I'VE GOT 41 REVIEWS NOW! WHOEVER REVIEWS & MAKES THE 50th REVIEW CAN EMAIL ME ASKING ABOUT OR REQUESTING AN IDEA I WILL USE IN A L8R CHAPTR! HOWEVR I WILL NOT MAKE ANY CHAPTRS FEATURING YAOI OR YURI COUPLES U SICKOS! SO REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**


	37. The One

Caroline: aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh! Im SO pissd rite now im just going 2 write anothr chaptr! y am i pissd? Becuz that shithead lieutenant-

Jordan: me? (walks by)

Caroline: yes u. now anyways as i was saying im pissd becuz that shithead lieutenant keeps calling me short. I'm 163 cm. dammit! If i could find her now id... waitjustagoddamnminute! (peeks around corner) JORDANGETBACKHEREUDUMBASS!

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Chapter 37: The One

Fall was slowly withering away to winter. Leaves had changed colors in the Sengoku, but that wasn't all that had changed.

Caroline had been spying with Kiyoshi on the others one night when she remembered what had happened to Kohaku. She went back to Naraku once since she had disappeared, & lied to him, saying she was going to betray Kiyoshi. She snuck out with Kohaku one night. Removing the jewel shard was hard for her. She had felt like a big sister to him, but as hard as it was, she did. She brought him to Sesshomaru, & fortunately, he revived him using his Tenseiga Jaken had told her about. Kohaku had rejoined Sango & the others- Caroline made sure of it. Caroline at one point, revealed her secret to Kiyoshi, & quite frankly, she couldn't tell if he believed her or the fact that she was 'dead.'

The girl had a bad feeling that Naraku knew everything she did, so she had stayed on the run with Kiyoshi, & made acquaintances with Koga over the time period. But hiding with wolf demons wasn't going to save her forever. One day she decided the best thing to do was to return back to her own time.

She was on the train to Risembool, her mind free of worries as she gazed out onto the fields flying by.

"Ya okay?"

She gazed up into his green eyes & his smile of assurance. She smiled ever so slightly back.

"Yeah," she said. "Just perfect."

Kiyoshi had insisted on coming with her, & secretly, Caroline was glad he did.

---

"Winry! We've got a visitor!"

"Who is it?" yelled the blonde, coming somewhere from upstairs.

"It's Caroline!" her grandmother answered.

"She better not have broken thast arm again!" Winry yelled. "If she did I'm rippin that other one off & makin her build one herself!"

Winry appeared suddenly at the stairway, a wrench in her hand & removing the purple suit she was wearing.

"Caroline Elric! I swear if I have t-"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Caroline yelled, holding up her hands. "I didn't break anything, okay? So quite bitchin bout it! I'm just here to visit," she said.

"Visit?" Winry asked. "But that's so unlike you guys. Speaking of," she asked, looking around. "Where's Ed & Al? I don't see them around. Hm?" she asked, noticing Kiyoshi. "Who's he?"

Kiyoshi blushed a bit nervously & pulled the cap Caroline loaned him over his ears.

"She scares me," he said, whispering into Caroline's ear.

Caroline smiled. "She does that sometimes."

"Winry," she said. "This is Kiyoshi."

---

It was around sunset when Caroline had gathered up her courage to walk out there. She smiled & placed flowers she had picked on the grave. She sank to her knees.

"Hey mom," she said. "It's me, Caroline." She laughed as she looked up to the sky. "Been a while since I visited this place... I guess you never got to know me too well, did ya?"

A light breeze blew by her as she smiled a bit more warmly towards the sky.

"Yeah, well," she said. "Dumb ol dad kinda took me from ya, didn't he?"

A stronger breeze blew staight back at her, making her cheeks grow numb from the chill of it.

"Gah!" she yelled, swatting at the air. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She sighed. "I guess you still love him, huh?" She smiled a guilty smile as she looked down at her metal hand, making a clenched fist.

"Well, I guess you can see what your little baby girl's grown up to be, ma," she said. She raised her hand up, her fingers spread out to the sky. "A full-fledged sinner."

She smiled as she lowered it, & clenched her knees to her chest.

"I don't know if you approved of alchemy or not, but Ed & Al said you did," she said. "& I don't know if you know this either but Ed & Al tried Human Transmutation."

Another strong breeze blew by her.

"Al... he lost his body, & Ed lost his arm & a leg," she said. "Al's in a suit of armor for now & Winry made Ed some automail so he could become a State Alchemist," she said. "I guess you're probably wondering who I wanted to bring back if I didn't know you. I guess..." she said.

"I guess I was trying to bring back the thing I wanted the most," she said. "But you know what's funny?" she asked, her brown eyes staring at the sky. "I don't even wanna be around him anymore." She laughed. "It's kinda wierd. Oh, & I guess you wanna know about my life?"

"Well," she said, looking at the ground. "Dad left me with this guy named Roy Mustang. He thinks a lot of himself," she said, laughing. "He & his sister both. Oh, his sister?" she asked. "Her name's Jordan. She's like my big sister. They're both fighters, calm but much too stubborn to back down. Oh, & Jordan's a State Alchemist too. She snaps her fingers & fire appears, & she can shift it into different shapes & stuff like that. She's a Second Lieutenant, & she's only 14! Oh, & Roy's the same way. He's only 29, mom, & he's a Colonel & a State Alchemist! He went a way for a year or so when me & Jordan were younger, though..." she said. "He left us with Hughes, a really nice man who talks a lot. After that, though, he decided to become Fuhrer & change the world or some crap like that." She laughed.

"Stubborn ass man," she said. "But you know what's funny, ma? I think he will. I honestly think he will. Oh yeah, after I met Ed & Al, everything went crazy! It was normal for a few months but a while back us three were sent to watch this well, right? Well, me being me, I jumped down it & ended up in another era."

A leaf blew by her.

"What?" she yelled at the air. "You think I'm crazy, don't ya? Well, you can ask Jordan & the others." She calmed down a bit. "Well, we met these people. They're great friends to have. There's Inuyasha. He's a really stubborn half-demon. Reminds me of myself & Ed kinda. Then there's Kagome, & she's from the future." She laughed a little. "Seems like Al would like her, if only Inu didn't steal her. Then there's Shippo, a little kitsune demon who's really loyal. Miroku, a very wise monk, but a bit of a lecher. & last but not least, Sango. She's a demon slayer who fights really well, & she & Miroku are pretty much an item. They're all really good teammates, but I ran into someone really special in the Feudal Era."

"His name... is Kiyoshi," she said, her eyes never moving from the sky. "He's a wolf demon, & he can be a real dork sometimes," she said with a little laugh. "But he's really nice & really kind, & he's there for me. Yeah, sure, he knows I'm from a totally different time period, but he doesn't really care. Sure, he's not as 'loving' as he used to be. He makes fun of me from time to time, & makes fun of the stupid jokes I've told him. But he's there for me in the end, & that's all that counts, right?"

A soft breeze blew, a few leaves blowing across the cemetery.

"Yeah, I know," she said guiltily. "Maybe I _am _only thirteen, & should have other things on my mind than this. But mom, I'm not a normal thirteen year old. I've seen things no one should see, done things no one should do, & I've even tried to pass the line that divides us small, insignificant humans & gods. I'm not your sweet little baby girl you held in your arms long ago, mom. I'm a girl who could fight swords at age five. A girl who understood war before many others could even solve equations. A girl who got too close to the sun... & burned. I'm Caroline Elric, the Forsaken Alchemist, armed with a pocket watch & a metal arm that serves as a reminder of what's lost. Yet, I'm a girl who's never known love. What it's like to _be _loved, by your _real _family. &... I think he's the one, mom. I really do."

"Caroline."

The girl turned around, her eyes finally breaking free from the sky.

"C'mon," Kiyoshi said. "It's gettin dark." He noticed what she was sitting in front of. "Hey, you okay?"

She smiled slightly, & looked back towards the grave as she stood up.

"That's him, mom," she whispered.

"Yeah!" she said. "I'm fine!"

She walked past him, & down to the gate. Kiyoshi watched, then walked towards the grave, stepping back hesitantly, but finally moving forwards. He looked a bit nervously at the gravestone, then rubbed the back of her neck, looking up at the sky, & finally kneeling at the grave.

"Uh, hi Mrs. Elric," he said politely. "Um... well... Caroline... um... I dunno if she's said anything about me..." He laughed nervously placing a hand on his forehead. "Ah, god, what am I saying? I... I love your daughter. She's wonderful. Not _perfect_, but wonderful. Yeah, she's done some bad things in her life, Mrs. Elric, but she's _not_ a bad person, _really_. If you don't believe me, just look after her."

"Kiyoshi!" yelled Caroline at the bottom of the hill. "You comin or what?"

He stood up, & bowed at the grave.

"But incase you aren't, I always am," he said, then turned to join the girl.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: aww... cute huh? nxt chaptr... things heat up once mor... so REVIEW GODAMMIT REVIEW! 


	38. My Immortal

**READ THE FOLLOWING NOTICE...**

Caroline: 1st off- if anyone has any questions, requests, ideas, or anything even _remotely_ rel8d 2 the fanfic... EMAIL me at caroline (underscore) elric. the accounts on yahoo so... yea ... its on thats just 4 fanfic emails tho... also this chapter 'my immortal' will _NOT_ include the lyrics cuz im just 2 lazy & itll just make it evn saddr 2 write this but the chaptr shall remain named 'my immortal' becuz that song just seems PERFECT 4 the chaptr k? k. & PLEAZ review on this chaptr!

* * *

Chapter 38: My Immortal 

Caroline hoisted the weapon over her shoulder, looking back to make sure Kiyoshi was still behind her.

'Good, still there,' she thought, continuing on.

She had been looking behind her back all day long, trying to make sure he was still there. She had a bad, _bad _feeling about coming back to the Feudal Era. But she was here, now that was all that mattered.

Except for the pain in her feet. Damn it to hell, it hurt. But she kept moving on, grimacing every few minutes.

"Caroline."

Caroline stopped, & turned around.

"I hear something," Kiyoshi said, focusing forward heavily. "& I smell something too... Food maybe."

Caroline's eyes lit up.

"Then let's get a move on it, okay slowpoke?" she growled.

---

"You must have been walking for quite some time eh?" the lady asked, handing the girl a cup of tea.

Caroline's eyes lit up as she grabbed the tea appreciatively. "Yes, _mam_!"

She thought about how great it had been, coming upon this small village, thanks to Kiyoshi's senses. The thing looked like a ghost town, sadly, as the only people here were an elderly couple. The lady was kind & generous to the two travelers, but the man was quiet & hadn't said a word. But at least they were kind enough to give the two something, right?

Caroline spat the tea out all over the floor, coughing & sputtering.

"Something wrong, child?" the lady asked, touching her on the shoulder.

"Well," she said. "The tea's kinda strange... got anything else?"

The lady shook her head. "I'm afraid not. The tea may taste strange, but it's a special kind of tea."

"Special _kind_?" Caroline asked, her eyes wide as she blinked.

"Yes," she said. "Drink it, it's good for you. It will give you strength."

Caroline obliged soon, & looked at Kiyoshi sitting up against the wall, snoozing away. Obviously, he had not wanted to eat or drink anything, but rather sleep. As Caroline was staring, she noticed her eyes start to slowly, but surely try to shut. She felt dizzy, & her mind was spinning. Not only that, but her head was beginning to give her a bit of pain, & before she could accept the symptoms, everything faded to black.

Envy watched the girl fall flat to the floor as the old man Kagura had used for one of her zombie slaves hit the floor soon after, broken of the wind witche's spell.

& a cruel, cruel smile spread across his face.

---

Caroline's eyes fluttered open, her head still hurting her slightly. She sat up, wincing a bit in pain. She noticed something.

"Ki... Kiyo-"

She stopped as she was yanked by the back of her hair. She growled, staring into a familiar face.

"Been a while, hasn't it, shrimp?"

She bared her teeth.

"Where's Kiyoshi? & the old couple?"

Abandonment smirked, holding Caroline's hair in one hand, rubbing her chin in the other.

"Ah, yes," she said. "The old man's dead. The old lady... let's just say that was Envy."

Caroline blinked, not knowing who the hell this 'Envy' was.

"He's a homunculi," Abandonment explained, answering an unasked question. "He can change his form at will, so he disguised himself as an old woman. As for your wolf demon friend..." She smirked a cruel, evil smirk that scared the poor child half to death... if not further. "He's fighting him."

Caroline's eyes grew wide & began to struggle against the hand, feeling quite surprised when Abandonment let go with a mere shrug. She shot up, though her balance at this point was quite weak. She looked backwards, trying to make sure she wasn't being tricked.

'Just as planned,' Abandonment thought, watching her run off into the woods. 'Elric, you're just too, too predictable.'

---

Caroline yelled his name as she ran through the forest. Finally, she heard something. She cleared a gap through the trees, leaves, & branches. When she saw the small clearing, she gasped.

"Kiyoshi!" she yelled, running towards him.

The boy looked up at her as he lay on his back in the grass, his eyes half-lidded, his arms, his legs, his whole entire _body _covered in blood. He failed at a weak attempt to smile, & the girl held her hands to her mouth, then fell to her knees beside him.

"Hey," he said, his voice small & showing that it was absolutely torture on him to speak.

"Ki... yoshi," she asked, her voice showing horror & fear. "What... happened to you?"

He glanced in the other direction giving a weak little smile. "I got in a fight."

"What you get in a fight for, stupid?" she yelled, her eyes welling up with tears.

Suddenly, his gaze turned back to her as his arm reached up & ran its fingers through her bangs that framed her face.

"I... was trying to protect you..." he said, his arm falling to the ground.

She slammed her hands onto the ground. "Dammit, you idiot!" she yelled. "I can protect myself! You hear me?" She asked, her hands slamming with each word now. "I can prote-"

He grabbed her hand, holding it in his own, each of them stopping.

"Listen..." he said. "You're... you're a strong girl, Caroline. You can take em for me, right?"

"Wha... what do you mean?" she asked. "You'll be alright!" she said, wrapping both hands around his.

He shook his head slowly, looking her in the eyes when he answered. "I... I don't got a lot of time here so-"

"No, Kiyoshi," she said, the first tear falling down her face. "Don't... don't leave me here, please."

"Stay strong," he muttered. "Please," he said. "For me..."

"Sh-shut up!" she yelled, tears of sadness mixed with determination & anger rolling down her face. "You're gonna live, okay? It's not fair!" she yelled. "You can't leave me here! I've already lost too many people in my life!"

She didn't know what happened, when it happened, & how the boy managed to get the strength now, but she was silenced as his lips touched hers. She was confused & angry at first, but then closed her eyes & accepted it. As they broke away, he wiped a tear away from her face. She reached out, holding him close in an embrace.

"Kiyoshi..." she whispered. "Please don't go."

"I... I have to..." he said.

She sniffled, crying into his strong shoulders, all silent for some time.

"Caroline..."

She immediately stopped, ruling out a few sniffles.

"I... I love you. Never forget that, okay?"

A few more tears rolled down her face as she nodded into his shoulder, then said one last thing.

"I love you, too, Kiyoshi."

A breeze blew as he took one last breath, his body going limp in her arms. When the reality of it hit her, she laid the body down, resting her head on his chest & crying until she thought she could cry no more, & then some more, clutching onto him, trying to hold on as long as she could manage to, hoping maybe, just _maybe _this was all some big joke played by Naraku or something. Nothing could be heard but t he sound of her sobbing, crying her heart out for him, until Caroline felt the strange feeling you get when someone is standing right behind you. She didn't turn until...

"Well, well, well, look who's all alone now."

To be continued...

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Caroline: pleaz pleaz PLLLEEEEAZZZ review yall! ive workd SO hard on this chaptr & ive been crying my heart out as i wrote it so PLEEAZ PLEEEEEEEEAZ review! 


	39. Broken Will

Caroline: ahh srry i havent upd8d in so long! i SWEAR ill try 2 upd8 mor often! hp 4 came out & i HAD 2 c it! howevr the plot takes another turn in this chaptr so... REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! o yea jordans got a fanfic ID now... shes on my fave authors list so just look ther... hint- she likes fire.

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Chapter 39: Broken Will

Caroline forced her eyes open, clenching her teeth in pain. Sure, she had gotten beaten up before, but never _this _bad. She had fallen down from exhaustion, & just laid there, hoping to die. End this pain. Hoping it could all just come to an end.

The images, the cuts, the bruises. Everything that made her feel as if she was being ripped from the seams... from the inside out. She felt dried a bit of dried blood on her cheek. She had no clue if it was hers or Kiyoshi's from long before. She reached to scratch it off, but that was of course, a mistake.

"Awake, are you?"

Caroline's eyes widened in fear. There was no way that... that creature could die. It would just throw it back at her a million times harder, & then more. But she had to fight back, right?

She struggled to push herself up by her arms, but she had been beaten down so much that she couldn't do much of anything but fall down on her face once more. Abandonment laughed, & walked over to her.

She stared down at the girl. She was an interesting human, all right. It was true what others had said about her. She knew no place. She didn't think before she acted, & expected no consequences to follow.

"But if trained right," the girl said quietly, resting her elbows on her knees as she crouched before her. "You could become a useful little pet." She grabbed a few locks of her long brown bangs (a/n: yes... caroline finally dyed her hair back) & pulled the girl's head up so she could look at her. "Isn't that right, chibi?"

She saw her eyes change within a matter of seconds. First there was the usual fire in her eyes, the ones that made her look so much like her brother, but the fire settled into a more unhappy look, & finally with a small sneer, the girl gave up, her eyes half-lidded, giving her a more tired, submissive look.

Abandonment opened her mouth slightly, then broke out into a mocking smile. "I see I've trained you well," she said, letting the girl's hair go.

Caroline began to say something, then stopped. She was at least able to sit on her knees. She looked at the torn flesh on her left arm. She slowly began to lick off a bit of the blood.

Abandonment quickly grabbed her by the ponytail, the girl screamed, shuddering & shaking with pain. She could tell the girl was close to tears.

She gave a sneer. "I see you're still tender from our last encounter," she said, mentioning the point of that day before Caroline had completely collapsed. A finger ran around her face. "The simplest touch could send you spinning into a never ending hell." Her hand slapped her cheek, the girl struggling not to cry. "I'll be sure to give you the most complicating pains, though."

Before her mind could even process it, her ribs took a blow from Abandonment's foot.

She screamed louder than she had ever screamed before.

The fire in her eyes returned, & filled with hurt, hatred, & fury, she began to get up, only to stagger back & fall down once more. She didn't even try to get up when the girl laughed at her this time. It was... too much. Too much pain to bear.

"Still trying to fight it, huh?" the girl asked, beginning to walk towards her.

Caroline began pushing herself back, & was more than just frightened when her back hit the wall. As the girl walked closer, Caroline tried harder to push herself into the wall, trying to break it. She closed her eyes, trying to push through, but it was useless. All of her strength had been beaten out of her. She was frightened beyond belief when she opened her eyes & saw a shadow looming over her. She looked up to see that smirking, cruel reflection of her.

Abandonment looked down at the frightened girl. The girl was smart enough to know that she wouldn't give her enough time to clap her hands together. She had no strength left, no spirit even. Abandonment could kill her off right now, & she wouldn't even try to fight. When she looked inside her mind, the girl could honestly care less if Abandonment killed her. She expected that, nothing else.

The thought lingered in her mind. It seemed like killing the girl would end her own pain, or at least ease it. She smiled, & grabbed the girl's ponytail, lifting her a few inches. The girl refused to look up.

"You wish to die, do you?" Abandonment asked cruelly. "Be with that mangy wolf demon?" She lowered her voice. "You want me to kill you now, child?"

The girl lifted Caroline's chin, & was almost shocked to see how innocent she looked. Her eyes... the ones that were so strong, so fiery, & determined were now larger & more frightened than ever before.

"Yeah," Caroline said, gulping. "Go ahead. What's it to me when this life ends? I gotta die…" She sniffled. "Sometime, right?"

Tears ran down the girl's face. Abandonment pondered whether to kill her now, but then… she would be the one in trouble, right?

"_Beat her. Torture her. Make her wish she was dead. & when she asks to die- begs to die, then bring her to me."_

That's what Naraku had said.

But Abandonment couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for the poor kid. However, it was because of the kid's own selfishness that she had been created, right?

Right.

An evil grin flittered across Abandonment's features, & she grabbed the girl's shirt collar (a/n: yes... caroline has her old clothes back too) forcing her up.

"Come on, girl," Abandonment ordered, forcing the girl to walk forwards.

Caroline obeyed. She couldn't remember a time in her life when she ever felt like this. Her body was beaten to the point that she could hardly walk. Her mind had no plan, only thoughts. Kiyoshi was dead. She now realized the deepness of the sin she committed- betrayal.

She was suddenly thrown at that oh-so-familiar throne, her hands held behind her back, while the other hand lied in her hair tightly, literally forcing the girl to look forward.

Naraku's eyes narrowed down upon the girl before he broke out into a smirk. Caroline tried to wriggle away, but was held firmly in place. She turned her eyes upon Naraku, her eyes in flames.

"You..." she growled. "You... betrayer... You killed Kioyshi!" she said, tears of anger & hurt coming to her eyes.

"You betrayed your friends, did you not?" he asked coldly, raising an eyebrow.

"Well," she said stuttering. "I-"

"& then you betrayed me as well, even after making a promise. Were you planning on running from me forever?"

"I... I..."

She hung her head down in shame. She had no choice but to agree with what he said. Suddenly his hand touched her chin. She whimpered, much to her embarrassment, from the touch.

"However, you do think you deserved enough punishment, hm?"

She let her head fall again.

"If you're going to kill me, do so now. I..." Drops of tears began falling to the floor, some falling onto Naraku's hand.

"I deserve it..." she said. "Every bit of it. I'm the one sitting here feeling sorry for myself when I've been abandoned, but really, I... I abandoned those alongside me. Ed. Roy. Jordan. Inuyasha. Kagome. Shippo. Miroku. Sango. All of them. & then I abandoned you. Please..." she said. "I'm begging you. Death seems welcoming now. Just... just kill me... _please_."

It was silent for a few moments, & nothing could be heard except for sobs. Sudenly, a rather large book was thrown in front of the girl.

"Wh- what is... what's this?" Caroline asked, her eyes widening in confusion.

"It takes a brave person to welcome death," Naraku said. "I'll take your wish into consideration, but first, I thought you might want to owe it to your brother."

Caroline narrowed her eyes. "What about him? What do you mean?"

"Abandonment," Naraku said, flicking his eyes upward. "Release her."

The girl did as told, keeping a close watch on Caroline.

"Open the book."

Caroline slowly reached out for the book, but hesitated right before she touched it. She looked at Naraku, not fully trusting him.

"I said 'open the book'."

Caroline gulped, & did as so. Her eyes widened at the information in her hands. With this, she wouldn't be able to revive a whole body for Al, but she could at least revive a limb for Ed. It was amazing how much information this book could hold. She clutched it to her chest, forgetting all of her pain, & giving Naraku a simply starry-eyed look.

"Where... where did you get this?" she asked in amazement.

He smirked.

"Does that really matter?" he asked.

Within minutes, the girl was drawing a transmutation circle onto the floor.

"Detailed," Abandonment said. "You're pretty fast at drawin those things, aren't ya?"

Caroline narrowed her eyes hatefully at the girl, then continued.

"Couldn't you just clap your hands?" Abandonment drawled, raising a brow.

"It too difficult to perform alchemy as complex as this," Caroline informed. "Now if you don't mind..."

She finished the last of the circle quickly, then threw the spare chalk aside.

"There," she said, wiping a small bead of sweat off her forehead.

Abandonment looked at Naraku, & the two smirked. Caroline closed her eyes & clapped her hands together. Just as she began to place them on the circle, brightness surrounded her & the circle as well.

"Wh... what's going on?" Caroline asked, fear trembling in her voice. She looked back, her eyes wide in fear, the two creatures behind her with wide smirks on their faces. Suddenly Caroline felt a hand grab her shoulder, & suddenly she felt as if she was being sucked into something. She closed her eyes as tightly as she could.

When she decided to finally open her eyes, she found herself in a wierd-looking place.

"Where... am I?" she asked.

"Where do you think, shrimp?" asked a familiar voice.

Before she could turn around, a hand grabbed her by the ponytail. She yelped as she was turned around.

"A... bandonment?" she asked. "What are you-"

"You needed help on what you were trying to accomplish obviously." She pointed to a set of huge doors. "Know what this is now, shrimp?"

"Oh... yeah," Caroline said, walking forward. She stopped a foot or so in front of the girl, narrowing her eyes a bit. "Why are we here?"

Abandonment walked forward, smirking widely. The doors opened suddenly, & those familiar hands Caroline had watched tear off her arms reached towards her.

"Wait a minute!" she said, backing away. "What's... going o-"

"Equivalent exchange," the girl said in a taunting voice.

The hands touched Caroline's forehead, & before the girl could so much as scream, her eyes widened in fear, her mouth slowly falling open. Abandonment watched with a cruel smile until the hands let go, & disappeared back into the Gate.

Caroline fell forward, panting & gasping heavily. She was strong enough now to support herself on one arm as long as she sat on her knees. Her other hand reached up to her head, her eyes wide & focused on the ground.

"What... happened?" she asked.

Abandonment smiled.

"Well, for the dog you claim to be, you sure have a leash around your neck now, don't you?"

Caroline's eyes focused upward, her teeth bared & showing a glare of hate.

"What did you do?"

The other girl gave a cruel, heartless laugh.

"What did you do!" Caroline yelled out of anger.

"What did I do?" Abandonment asked. "Surely you must notice by now."

Silence. Her smirk grew.

"I took away your free will."

To be continued...


	40. Why?

Caroline: WOO HOO CHAPTER 40! anyways... i went 2 go c hp4 for the 2nd time 2day aftr skool! neways... yes i did not rite nething at the end of the last chaptr (only 2 deepen the meaning of the chaptr) & im not writing nething at the end of this 1 eithr! oohh 5 more reviews! whoevr posts the 50th review can make a request 4 the fic (as long as it fits the plot i have in mind) o & wut do u ppl think about a sequel? evn tho the fics not finished yet... not 2 close 2 it eithr as far as im concernd... o well R&R or email me!

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Chapter 40: Why?Caroline stepped backwards, her mouth wide open, her brown eyes wide in fear & denial. 

"You... you didn't..." she said. "You couldn't have..."

She grabbed both sides of her head, thinking this was dream, a total nightmare.

"Let me assure you," Abandonment said, smirking & putting two hands on her hips. "You aren't dreaming. Two, I_ can_ & I _did_. Three, the Gate may take mental abilities from you as well. Enjoy the time you have left, girl, because it's fading away quickly."

Caroline's eyes widened, little to her knowledge, becoming less fiery & more blank.

---

"Aggggh!" Ed yelled, waking up from his nightmare. He panted heavily, & held his right leg to his chest.

He was getting sick of these nightmares. Ever since Jordan had gotten into that fight with that strange girl, he had been having nightmares about it. Every night, the same thing, his sister wearing a black outfit consisting of a mid-thigh skirt, a tank top cut off above her navel, & open-fingered gloves, her eyes looking completely different, & that shuriken slung over her shoulder.

He screamed at her, trying to get her to stop, but it would always end with him being killed... but tonight it ended with him killing...

"No," he convinced himself. "I'd... she'd never do that."

Since that day, Jordan had been convinced it was Caroline. Ed wasn't sure if others believed her or just ignored it; they never spoke much on the topic. Sure, Ed could go check if she was in their era, but he just never had much time on his hands.

He sighed & began to stretch out his metal leg. He never got much sleep these days, so he would usually walk around. But this time, it felt even more unusual. It felt like...

"No way," Ed muttered.

Automail had been replaced by flesh & bone.

"I'm... how did..."

---

"I can't believe you... you... you..." Tears of anger fell. "You monster!"

Forgetting her pain, Caroline tried to convince herself to move forward to attack the girl.

'It's... not working...'

"Stop," Abandonment said, pointing a finger at her.

Caroline paused whatever movements she could attempt to do.

'No...'

"On your knees," she said, her smirk spreading.

Caroline tried as hard as she could, telling her mind not to give in, but as Abandonment lowered her finger slowly, Caroline followed.

"Good dog," she said. "You're not gonna fight me, are ya?"

Caroline's teeth were bared, & some fire in her eyes still remained.

"Say it..." Abandonment said.

No answer, just an angry twitch of the eyebrows.

"Say it now." She snapped her fingers together.

Caroline flinched a bit, a sharp pain erupting in her head.

"N... no."

Abandonment smiled.

"Good," she said. "Now, listen up, & listen well, shrimp. You will obey my orders, & only mine. You will not question, you will not refuse, & you will not fight back, got it?"

Caroline twitched angrily.

"Want me to do it again?" Abandonment asked cruelly.

"No... Master," Caroline said, closing her eyes & trying to gain control of what she could say. "I understand."

"Fine, then," she said. "We're getting out of here first, got it?"

Caroline once more tried to fight her orders.

"Give... me back my-"

She snapped again, sending her will a bit more farther from her reach.

"The more you argue, the quicker you fall into my possession," she said. "Does it all make sense now?"

Caroline looked at the ground.

"I'm glad," Abandonment said. "Now, is there anything you want to ask me before you lose total control?"

Caroline looked up, surprised.

"Well, there are a few things," she said, looking down once more shyly.

"Nothing that will anger me, got it, slave?" Abandonment added.

"I... don't think it will," Caroline said.

It was obvious to Abandonment that she was nervous.

"My most important one... did... Ed get one of his limbs back?"

Abandonment was shocked. Surely, she thought the girl would have tried to escape this position she was in, instead though, she thought of her brother first. She frowned.

"I don't lie," she said. "The book I gave you... it should have given him one of his limbs back at least."

Caroline attempted to smile slightly.

"My other one... why... why do you want..."

"Speed it up," Abandonment said. "I aint got all day."

"Why do you want to torture me?" she asked. "Why are you after me? What did I do?"

Abandonment grimaced.

"I wondered if you would ask me that," she said. "You created me first off," she said. "The night you tried to bring back your father. Plus, you don't know my full powers do you?"

Caroline stared forward. Her eyes were becoming blanker with each passing minute. Before she lost control, Abandonment at least wanted her to know the reason why she did this.

"My powers," she said. "They have to do with trickery of the mind. Illusions. Mind-reading. Bringing back your worst memories. You find that the most, do you not?"

"Those... nightmares?" Caroline asked.

"Yes," she answered. "Those & those images that appear in your mind. They give you pain sometimes, do they not?"

Caroline nodded.

"But still..." she asked. "Why me? I didn't _mean_ to create you."

"Because of you," Abandonment said. "I... lose control of myself sometimes. You think _your_ memories are harsh? Try learning every _one_ of your friend's memories & harboring them all as your own weapon & your worst nightmare."

She clenched her fists, & tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Those memories. All of my enemies & their pasts haunt me. I sometimes forget it's not me who it happened to, & it's all your fault I have to deal with it. I hate it so much. S_o very much."_

Caroline stared, gaining enough control to walk forwards, tears of guilt falling down her face.

"I know you feel like you wish you could just lay down & die somedays, but try feeling that way everyday. But I know I can't because I have to get my revenge on you first."

Caroline suddenly ran forward, & hugged the girl out of sympathy.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I never, ever want someone to hurt this bad because of me. I didn't mean to, really."

"It's too late," Abandonment growled.

"It's... too late," Caroline repeated slowly in a distant voice, her hands suddenly clenching into the girl's back, then letting go.

Just before her body fell limp into Abandonment's arms.

To be continued...


	41. An Order Unrefused

Caroline: YYYYYYYYYYESSS i KNO i havent upd8d n 4EVR & believe it or not im SRRY! but ive been SO busy w/ exam crap, thanksgiving, writn christmas lists,readn jordans fix, helpn w/ jamess christmas party, goin shoppn 4 my friends presents, & goin on dates w/ james! i SWEAR 2 GOD i will upd8 mor whn i finish exams & go n2 holiday break (dec 16-jan 4) until thn HAPPY HOLIDAYS & SUM1 WHO REVIEWS THE 50th REVIEW GETS A COOKIE!

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Chapter 41: An Order Unrefused

"No way!"

"How did that happen?"

"That's not even possible!"

Ed pulled up his pants leg to answer those remarks. His teammates gasped.

"I don't understand," Shippo said. "Last night it was metal."

Ed shrugged.

"I dunno," he said. "It completely disregards equivalent exchange."

"What?" Kagome asked.

"For me to gain something, I must give up something of equal value," his eyes narrowed. "I gave nothing, though. Not this time."

"It makes no sense," Roy said, resting his chin in his hand.

"Exactly as I was thinking," Jordan said. "You can't get something & not give anything back."

"You think I'm stupid!" Ed snapped. "I know that!"

'They're right...' Ed thought. 'It's a downright strange case I've got on my hands here. I better keep my guard up incase this is some kind of trick.'

---

Abandonment yawned as she sat out on the chair, her eyes half open, one of her arms drooping to the floor as her hand sat on her stomach, & her legs slung over one side. She watched lazily at the manual work she watched the girl do.

The girl's eyes had reverted back to normal, or at least a _bit_ more normal. Those eyes were starting to somewhat scare the girl, & the ever-burning ones were better than blank, almost-lifeless ones.

Caroline stood up, the toothbrush in hand & her eyes glaring with defiance. Ah, it was that defiance that made the girl all the more interesting. Abandonment smirked. & all the more fun to squash.

"Missed a spot," Abandonment chanted, almost in a sing-song voice.

"Damn you," the girl forced out before she fell to her knees.

Abandonment let her smirk fall, & she began looking at her fingers, picking at the nails.

Her teammates came & went as she acquired her new slave. Lust just raised an eyebrow, claiming it to be 'interesting'. Gluttony wanted to eat her, to no surprise. Envy thought the whole idea was simply ingenious. Kagura acted to think nothing of the situation, but when Abandonment looked into her mind, she saw that she felt pity for the girl. Interesting. Naraku, though, knew the whole plan already. He just tilted her chin, & smirked to scare her a bit, then wandered off.

"Abandonment."

The girl's eyes widened & she tilted her head back. Even upside down, she could see the image of Naraku.

"It's time."

"Oh," she replied. She looked over to Caroline, who was still scrubbing the floor, damning the whole situation in her mind, & muttering curses aloud.

"Shrimp," she said in a commanding tone. Oh yes, she had taught the girl to answer to that, too.

The girl's head turned upwards, with the glare of a dog who hated its master.

"Come."

She watched with interest as the girl walked forward, her eyes lowered, pulled by the leash of her words. & she watched with even more as the girl dropped to her knees in front of them both.

She jumped up from the chair as Naraku took her place.

"Listen, girl," Abandonment ordered. "Obey him as you obey me, like the slave you are."

Caroline's fists rolled up as she sat them on her legs. Naraku smirked.

"I see your little attitude problem's been handled well," he mocked. "Wouldn't you say?"

Her teeth were bared.

"Don't try to escape that leash Abandonment put on you," he said. (a/n: no no NO! not a real one! god havent yall ever used metaphors?) "I'm sure she'd just make it tighter. What if she erased your memories? Would that suit you?"

Caroline gave a sigh of defeat.

"Now," he said. "Now that I know you won't, can't betray me... I think you're ready for your orders."

Silence.

"I want you to go & get the Shikon shards Kagome has."

He began chuckling that laugh that made her go completely numb. A silence fell after that.

"& I want you to kill them."

Caroline was no beggar. Anyone knew that. But Abandonment didn't need to look to see that Caroline was screaming from the inside.

"Every last one of them."

Wishing to shake her head.

"From the two you grew up with..."

Begging to do anything but this.

"To your own flesh & blood brother."

But could do nothing but watch her arms tremble below her, & know her eyes were widening in fear & anger.

"Understand?"

She wished ever so much that her mouth might not open... or that maybe, just maybe she could die right then & there so that she couldn't answer. But no. That's not the way this situation worked.

"Y... yes... Master," she muttered.

Abandonment smirked.

"Then go."

---

Ed woke up hearing a scream.

"Ed!"

"Edward Elric!"

"Hey, shrimp!"

He opened his eyes, panting.

"What... is it?" he asked, ignoring the shrimp comment as best he could. He put a hand to his forehead when he noticed everyone surrounding him, concerned looks on their faces. "Goddammit," he muttered. "Who was screaming their lungs out? It's the middle of the night."

"You were," Inuyasha said. "Couldn't you recognize your own voice?"

"Me?" Ed asked, blushing a bit. "Sorry, I've never..."

"It's okay," Miroku said, wandering back to where he had been asleep prior to the screams. "Everyone can go back to sleep now. Sango, if you want to-"

Ed ignored the bashes & yells keeping others from their sleep.

'I've never... remembered screaming from a nightmare. Damn. Those dreams must be getting to me... Wait just a minute!'

He threw his red coat he had used as a blanket aside & pulled up his pantsleg.

Skin.

He blinked, confused, then sighed.

"Guess not."

"I smell Naraku," Inuyasha said suddenly, leaping up & grabbing his sword.

"Strange," Kagome said. "I feel an odd presence as well."

"What's that?" Shippo asked, jumping onto Kagome's shoulder.

Everyone stood & looked up to the hill Shippo was looking at. There stood a shadow in the moonlight, a ponytail waving, a coat flapping in a light breeze, a shuriken held over her shoulder.

Ed's eyes widened.

"Caroline..."

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: R&R!


	42. Maybe Memories

Caroline: this is another saaaaaaad chaptr & sum of u may h8 me 4 wutevr happns but pleazz keep readin whn i put ch43 up ok? & pleaz review! ive spent all morning typing this chaptr up so i could upd8 2 times in 1 day!

* * *

Chapter 42: Maybe Memories

"Caroline?" Ed asked, a bit more clear.

_As we trudge along through the mud_

His teammates turned & stared at the girl.

"Caroline!" Ed yelled.

The figure moved.

_& we tried to call it home_

"What the-" Ed started, he & his teammates both managing to dodge the weapon. Only slightly, though, for Ed. He held his left arm, blood starting to seep through from a small gash. "Caroline?"

She caught the weapon with ease. She slowly began to get closer to the group.

"Why's she... doing this?" Ed asked.

"There's an ominous aura around her," Miroku said. "Or so it seems."

_But we weren't alright_

"Wait a minute!" Kohaku said. "Maybe Naraku... maybe he has her under his control!"

There was a silence of understanding. Inuyasha sniffed the air.

"Yeah," he said. "Now that I think of it, I do smell Naraku's scent."

"What... what's that mean?" Ed asked. "What are we supposed to do?"

No one answered, too confused of what _to_ do.

_Not at all_

"Give me the shards," Caroline said quietly, yet loud enough for them all to hear. "Give me the shards, now."

_Not for one second_

"Caroline, snap out of it!" Kagome yelled. "Don't listen to him! You don't know what you're doing!"

"Give me the shards!" Caroline yelled, hurling the weapon towards her.

A scream pierced the midnight air.

Kagome held her hands close to her face, clenched in fists, then blinked, surprised she felt no pain. She looked up.

"Inuyasha!"

_Never have I been one to write it down_

The half demon had blocked the attack. He held the weapon as he had caught it- by the sides. Blood was gushing down from the palm of his hand, & dripping slowly onto the grass.

_Now I think I can_

"Don't worry about it..." he muttered, throwing the weapon back towards the girl.

_I know I'm stronger now_

"Give me the shards," she said once more.

"I'll handle this."

The voice from the back of the group rushed forward before anyone could stop her. She caught the weapon once it was thrown at her, & held it for a moment before throwing it back. Caroline caught the weapon, but before she could react to what was going on, she began blocking with great difficulty.

"If you keep on blocking with that thing," Jordan muttered, the fire from the sword gleaming in her eyes. "It'll just melt."

_Who's looking south?_

Caroline ignored it, & kept on blocking what she could. However, a few minutes later, she found an open spot, & pulled her own sword out of its scabbard.

_Not me I'm not looking back_

Roy rushed forward as blood dripped from his sister's side.

"What the hell does he have you under?" he asked, his unreadable eyes looking into her fiery ones. Before he could even manage to hurt her, he saw tears streaking down her face.

_I'm done denying the truth to anyone_

"Give me the shards," she muttered, once more, the words forced.

She brought the sword down on him, more tears running down her face.

"Inuyasha," Kagome muttered. "What do we.. what do we do?"

Inuyasha turned around to see tears running down her cheeks. He used one of his fingers & quickly wiped them away.

"We do what we always have. We fight."

Kagome knocked an arrow, hesitation making her aim unsteady. Shefired, missing the girl. Miroku's side had been hit by the shuriken, & Sango had faced the same, forgetting to turn when it came back around. Kohaku had been struck by the bloody sword.

_Cause I'm alive_

Inuyasha ran forward, unsheathing his sword.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. "Don't kill her!"

Ed stared upon the bodies. None had stopped breathing yet, but... how could she do this? That smiling, laughing girl he had always known...

_You showed me how_

Thefighter who wouldn't kill or be killed...

_You seemed to find a hole_

Thesister who, a few months earlier, had been crying in his arms was now trying to kill them all, every last one of them. Ed couldn't fight. He wouldn't. But he had to, he knew it himself.

_But I just laughed & smiled_

Caroline ran from the demon.

"Ha!" he said, standing where she had been a few seconds before. "Thought you were all that, huh?" He stopped, noticing what she was doing.

_Begged & rolled my eyes_

Kagome tried to run from the girl, unsure of what to do. The girl slashed with her sword, being quite careless with it.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled.

The girl had finally struck, & the demon watched as the black-haired girl's body fell to the ground. Blood seaped through the back of her uniform, & he knew that one had been a deep wound.

_Even cried & _

"Alright, now you're gettin it!" Inuyasha yelled, rushing towards the girl. The two fought or a long time, swords clashing & clinging, metal blocking metal, but all of a sudden...

Inuyasha's golden eyes got wide. He slowly turned.

_Denied the truth to you_

"What... the hell?" he muttered. He fell forward at the girl's feet.

Caroline looked up. Ed stood where the attacker should have been standing. Blood was on his coat sleeve, & the metal of his right arm.

"I... couldn't let him hurt you," Ed muttered, his voice shaky with inner pain.

_Just like the truth to me_

Caroline blinked, tears that seemed would never stop staining her face. Blood stained her clothes... blood & tears.

"Ed..."

His eyes widened in confusion.

"Ed...ward..." she muttered. "Get away from me."

"No," he said bravely. "I'm not letting him getaway with this. I'm going to get you outta this, no matter what."

"Get away from me!" she yelled, tears flying from her face as she slashed with her sword.

He jumped back, dodging it, but just barely. A slash was made across his stomach.

"Argh..." he muttered.

"Get away from me, Ed. Please."

"I'm not," he said. "I'm not leaving you & I'm not fighting you."

She threw the shuriken towards him.

A scream pierced the entire land.

He breathed heavily, the blow doing more to him then the huge wound it left. She stood over him, the sword in her hands. Ed watched it shake.

"Niisan..." she muttered, choking on her tears, her breathing unsteady. "Ed..."

Ed stared, scared to death.

"I love you."

_Mostly lied_

Blood stained the grass, & all was silent once more. Caroline's shaking hands grabbed the shards from Kagome's neck. She looked back at her work, tears streaking down her cheeks...

_I'm not going to look back_

Washing away all the blood.

_White it out like glittering wax butterflies_

Poisoning her sins.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: Did they die? Did they not? What will happen to Caroline? Well... I guess you're gonna have to read ch43... till then r&r! 


	43. Shattered

Caroline: alrite! exams r ovr! i SWEAR i will try 2 upd8 mor ovr the break so... check back & r&r... ALSO AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTR I WROTE A LIL POEM BASED ON THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS... its ROYS EDITION... o yea & i got an account on but i cant put my story up till the 20th

* * *

Chapter 43: Shattered

Caroline wiped away more tears, walking deeper & deeper into the forest.

"What have I... done?" she asked, her lip trembling as she stared at dried blood on her hands holding the sword. She gripped it tightly, watching the way the moon reflected into it.

She whimpered quietly, then screamed into the night sky. Tears ran down her face, & blood dripped down from the newly-made gash in the top of her arm. She slashed again, & again, & again.

Her legs began weakening, trembling below her, & she finally gave in, dropping to her knees, & then lying on her stomach, a strange smile across her face.

"So... this is the way I'm going to die..." she muttered, her eyes half-lidded, her vision blurring, spreading into doubles until it all faded into nothingness.

---

Brown eyes slowly began opening, & began to flutter as images became clearer.

"What the... Where am I?" she asked, sitting up & looking around.

A light blue sky, birds chirping, a field, full of flowers & healthy green grass, seeming to never end. She stood up, her coat blowing in the wind.

"What happened?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked left to right, & back again.

Images flashed in her mind of what happened before she arrived in this odd place.

She scratched the back of her head.

"Well..." she said, more quietly. "I guess I'm... in Heaven."

She sighed, & began walking. She knew not where, but just kept on walking.

She suddenly spotted a river. Calm & pure & quiet, with the bluest water she ever saw. She loved the river. Living in Central most of her childhood meant she never got to see many, & with Roy in the State Military meant few vacations. She could only look back on herself when she first came to Rizenbul. If ever she was missing, Winry & Pinako knew just where to look.

'Come to think of it...' Caroline thought, as she stood, her clothes completely soaked, in the river. 'This place does kinda look like...'

"Caroline!"

She turned in answer to the unfamiliar voice. There stood a woman up on the hilltop, with brown hair, beautiful emerald-colored eyes, wearing an apron over a purple dress.

---

"I see you've grown up to be a bit of a troublemaker."

Caroline gave a smile & a 'Heh'. "Yeah," she said, looking down on the riverside, her eyes lost in memory of what happened not too long ago. "A little too much of one for my own good."

The woman gave a chuckle. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Caroline looked back, her determined, but innocent eyes wide, as they always got when asked a question. "Oh," she said, her features falling. "Nothing."

The woman rustled her daughter's hair. "You're no different from your brothers are you? So this is what I get from my little girl?"

Caroline gave a slight smile once more. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The woman laughed. "So what do you have planned for your life? Do you know yet?"

Caroline looked back at the river & rested her head on knees, hugging them up to her chest.

"Not really," she said. "I used to have this dream though, but it's gone now. See... I lost something... & I wanted to gain it back."

"Your arm?"

Caroline looked at her mother. "Yeah," she said, holding up the flesh for her to see. "I got it back now."

"Why's there a rip in your shirt?"

"Huh?" Caroline asked, confused.

"Two rips? Wait... three? Is that a fourth one?"

"Oh... it's nothing... not really" Caroline said.

"Of course it is! Where did you get those cuts?"

"Mooom!"

"Oh," she said, stopping. "Go on."

"I just wanted to ask you..."

"Yes?"

"What do you do when... you hurt people you love?"

"Is that what you're angry about?"

"Angry?" Caroline asked, her eyes wide & childlike once more. "I'm not ang... what do you mean?"

"You & Ed have the same eyes. I could always tell when he was angry."

"Oh... well... yeah..." Caroline said. "I guess so."

"Well, what did you do?"

---

"&... that's how it happened."

Trisha stared off in front of her.

"I'm sorry, mom..." Caroline said, looking down guiltily. "I didn't ask for it to-"

"I know," Trisha said, nodding in an understanding way. "I know you didn't mean to. It's not your fault."

There was a silence between them as the river flowed, ripples breaking the calm every few moments.

"You have a dream."

"I... what?" Caroline asked. "No. I've restored myself already."

"You have a new one, correct?"

"I..." Caroline looked confused. "I'm not really s-"

"You may not notice it, but you have a passion burning deep inside you. I'm not saying it's right, but you want to get revenge on those who made you betray those you care for, correct?"

"I... uh..." Caroline thought, watching the river silently. "Yeah," she said, a more energetic sound to her voice. "Yeah I do."

"Is that what you want to accomplish?"

"Yeah!" she said. "Yeah it is!"

"Then fight for what you believe in," Trisha said.

"But... I'm too weak."

The world around Caroline slowly began to fade.

"Mom?" Caroline asked, reaching out. "Mom!"

"Fight for what you believe in. Don't forget that."

"Fight for what I believe in?" Caroline asked as it faded into nothingness. "Fight for what I believe in... fight for what..." She began to feel lightheaded, tired, & uneasy, slowly falling to the floor in this world in nothingness. "I... believe in.."

---

"Fight..." Caroline's eyes slowly opened, catching the world around her. Bloody hands. A bloody sword. Grass, tress. The stench of blood.

'I'm... alive.'

Caroline sat up, immediately coughing up blood & vomit.

"My, my, look what the cat dragged in."

She turned suddenly, her knuckles tightening in the ground.

"You..."

There stood that evil mirror image of herself.

"You performed your task well," she said. "But I still have a few more things for you to do before I put you to death."

Caroline stood up, almost falling, but managed to stand her ground. The Shikon Jewel was held tightly in her hand. She glared at Abandonment, & also at the man behind her with the utmost look of hatred & despise.

"You have that same look in your eyes, don't you?" Abandonment asked with a laugh. "The look of a pathetic little dog. Now..." she said. "Hand over the Shikon, you useless slave."

Caroline looked down at the Shikon, & clenched it tighter in her hand.

"I may be a slave..." Caroline said quietly. "But I'm one who hates their master."

She threw the shuriken lying a few feet away towards the girl. It cut through the girl easily.

'That's weird,' she thought. 'The girl's never been that-'

She finally noticed it.

"Too... slow."

A scream was stifled.

Caroline held her side, blood running through her fingers. She growled & panted as the girl laughed, twirling a Kunai knife in one hand, holding the Shikon with the other.

"How the hell... What'd you do?" Caroline left room for a small silence, panting from exhaustion. "I'm not stupid. A person can't be in two places at once, & I know you _don't_ have that kind of speed."

The girl gave a 'Heh'.

"Well, you're certainly not as dumb as I thought you were," she said. "You're right. One person can't be in two places at once. However you must have forgotten what I told you once before... My powers have to do with the mind, remember? That includes illusions."

Caroline growled, baring her teeth.

'Forgot that... Dammit... & I'm starting to lose a lot of blood. Can't... last... much longer. I have to defeat her. I can defeat her.'

"I _will_ defeat you."

Another sneer. "You're strong alright. I have to admit I never expected you to break from that leash you were on. However, your guard's weak, & that will be your enemy in the end."

Suddenly a great breeze came out of nowhere, & Caroline realized what caused it once she recognized the laugh so cold it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"Naraku..." she muttered.

Suddenly she fell to the ground, grasping her side, kneeling on one knee.

"You can't last much longer, Caroline," Naraku said, chuckling. "How about I end this now?"

She glared, her teeth gritted together. Naraku laughed once again, & Abandonment slowly handed him the jewel.

"I suppose I should give you a reward," Naraku said as the jewel in his hand began to shine with a bright purple light. "You were a good servant, even through all your little 'incidents' you had with your conscience. Now that I have the Shikon I'll become the most powerful demon in this land, & you, girl, will have the honor of being the first one I kill."

Suddenly, Caroline began chuckling a little, a smirk growing across her face.

'She's plotting something,' Abandonment thought. Her eyes widened.

"Naraku! Move! Watch your guard!" she yelled. "She's plotting something!"

"The girl's half-dead," Naraku said. "What could she do?"

Slowly through the darkness, Naraku saw the girl slowly stand with lazy posture. She began moving toward him lazily. She slowly reached for the Shikon, her right hand holding a sword.

"You're not going to win. Just die already."

Naraku gripped her left arm, crushing all the bones. Caroline stifled a cry, giving a whimper. She brought up the sword as Naraku moved his grip higher up on her arm. She began to bring it down when she felt flesh being torn from her shoulder bone.

She screamed & suddenly, a great light shone, blinding the three of them. A shatter broke the silence, making Caroline utterly sick to her stomach

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: SPECIAL ENTRY BELOW! PLEAZ READ ITS JUST 4 THE HOLIDAYS- TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 1906: ROYS VERSION

Twas the night before Christmas & all through the house

Not a thing was burning, & I wished I had a spouse

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

& I doubted the gods that Saint Nicholas would be there

Two demons were nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of swordfights danced in one's head

& I with my gloves, a shadow arose

Hoping to awake me from a long-awaited doze

When out on the sidewalk arose such a blast

Two Mustangs out of their beds, fixing to kick someone's ass

Away to the door we both flew like a flash

Ripped off the door & burned everything in our path

The moon on the breast of the noodle-covered snow

Gave the luster of midnight to a shadow below

When what to my wandering eyes should turn up

But a five year old girl & a destroyed little cup

With a little small sniffle, so innocent & kind

I knew in a moment it must be Caroline

More rapid than eagles our yells they came

& she whimpered, & cried, & felt full of shame

"Roy & Jordan, don't you see?

I didn't mean to wake you, I was only hungry!

The stove wasn't working for a cup of noodles so small

So I came outside to set a match to it all!"

As I was tired, I apologized

Got them both in their rooms, wiped tears from one's eyes

So as I walked back downstairs from tucking in the lads

I wondered why Saint Nick would bring toys to these brats

& then, with my strong ears, I heard quite near

The prancing & pawing & eight freakin reindeer

As I held my breath, & my temper rose up

I heard that fat guy come down with a thump

He was dressed in all red for his signature attire

& his clothes ruined with ashes & he smelled of fire

A bag of toys he had carried on his back

& he looked like he saw a ghost as he opened his sack

His eyes- they were black! His dimples weren't too merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose looked like a cherry!

Blood was running from his small little mouth

& the beard on his chin had been pulled out

The stump of a pipe he held in the teeth that he didn't lose

My answer was simple, Santa got in a feud

He had a bruised face & a round little tummy

That had blood on it, wet & runny

He was chubby & plump, a right jolly old elf

& I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself

A scream from his mouth which reached to my ears

Easily let me know I had nothing to fear

He left the whole sack, abandoned his work

"Keep those two demons away from me, you stupid jerk!"

& giving a rude finger jester in front of his nose

& pointing upstairs, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle

& away they all flew like the down of a thistle

But I heard him exclaim as I looked up the stairs

"Merry Christmas, you cheaters. You didn't play fair!"


	44. Forgiveness

Caroline: erg... dont feel like writin anything much

* * *

Chapter 44: Forgiveness

Caroline fell forward. The acidic smell of blood touched her sensitive nose, making her want to throw up, but she didn't have the strength to even do that.

'It's all over now... I'm... really going to die here...'

He eyes were half-lidded, & emotionless. A little smile passed over her face.

'Mom... I... did the best I could.'

---

"Caroline! Caroline!"

"There's no way she's alive. She's lost too much blood. Look at her, she's a mess."

'Edward... Inuyasha.'

"She can't really be dead, can she?"

"How could she stay alive after that?"

'Jordan... Roy...'

"There's gotta be a way to help her! There's just got to!"

"Kagome, please calm down. It's just not possible."

"Right. There's no way it can be done."

'Kagome... Sango... Miroku...'

"Isn't there some way?"

"I'm afraid not. It's too late now."

'Kohaku... Sango...'

Her eyes fluttered open.

"G... guys?"

They all stopped their talk.

"Caroline?" Ed asked, kneeling down. "Are you okay?"

There was a silence. Tears filled her eyes immediately.

"Please!" she yelled, backing away as her brother tried to pick her up & hold her. "Get away from me!"

The group looked on at her with the most sympathy they could give.

"Why do you keep coming back for me? I betrayed you! I almost killed you! What do you see in me?"

"Right now," Roy said, turning her around. "We see that your arm is gone."

"Oh..." she said softly. "Right."

He picked her up, then winced.

"What's wron-" she stopped, realizing. "Oh... yeah..." she said. "Your shoulder."

"It's fine," Roy said, using a lot of effort to hide the pain.

Inuyasha suddenly took her from Roy's arms.

"Here, let me take her."

"Inuyasha..." Caroline said, as he hoisted her onto his back. "I thought you'd hate me."

He didn't reply.

---

"Niisan!" Al exclaimed, jumping towards the well when he saw his brother for the first time in ages. "How are you-" he stopped. "What... happened to ekai?"

"Nothing," he muttered, struggling to keep her on his back in his own world. "Nothing at all."

---

Caroline sat outside the East City hospital. She sighed, looking up to the sky. A shot of pain went through her body as she remembered how she lost it again.

"Right after I got it back too..."

Riza sat down beside her suddenly.

"How are they?" Caroline asked all too quickly, a look of innocent concern & childish worry on her face.

Riza sighed.

"Lucky," she finally answered. "Edward's wound went all the way through him. He's lucky to have survived. No vital organs were injured luckily, just a bit of muscle. The Colonel's shoulder is weakened. The muscle was torn, & he'll be in pain for a while. Had the weapon gone any further... he would've lost his entire arm. Jordan's the luckiest. The sword didn't damage anything except the skin. She'll have a scar, but other than that just some stomach aches, possibly vomiting."

Caroline sighed, relieved.

"She's the only one that won't need to be hospitalized."

Her expression dropped again.

"Oh."

"Do you think you can possibly see your mechanic tomorrow?"

Caroline looked up.

"Well... uh... maybe... I guess I could get a train ticket."

"I guess she'll have to be your escort," she said.

"Escort!" Caroline yelled. "I don't need to be babysat!"

Riza looked at her, her eyes emotionless. Caroline suddenly began to fear for her life by her expression, & the gun in her hand.

"But I suppose it's for my own safety," she droned unhappily.

---

"& this is Elysia at the beach! & Elysia at the pet store! & look, Elysia's hugging a little teddy bear!"

"Hughes... this is all very wonderful, but could you please let us get by?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot! Elysia swimming! Elysia with her first haircut! Elysia reading!"

"Hughes, please?"

"Oh, & Elysia & Gracia are right ther-"

"Hughes! Could you let us get by to our rooms!"

Jordan's voice echoed through the house.

"Boy, kid, you sure have learned a lot from your brother, haven't you?"

Jordan's eyes twitched, letting him know she didn't feel like joking at the moment.

"Stubborn little-" Hughes coughed. "I think you remember where they are."

Jordan nodded.

"Not as if we didn't spend a year & a half here," Jordan muttered, walking past him, Caroline following behind.

The girls opened a door upstairs with two beds, a table in between them with a lamp, a rug, a drawer, mirror, & bookcase.

"Home away from home," Jordan muttered.

Caroline nodded, following in. She immediately threw her coat & jacket aside, leaving her tank top, belt, & pants on as she edged her shoes off. She grabbed a book, blowing the dust off it, & began to read it, sitting on her bed.

"Caroline..."

Caroline looked at the bandages Riza had wrapped around her left arm.

"Caroline..."

She began to fidget with the bandages.

"Caroline, the bandages aren't talking to you. I am."

Caroline lowered her eyelids guiltily as she did the best she could to look at the girl across the room.

"You know I forgave you, right? You don't have to act so guilty."

Caroline's eyelids hardly raised at all.

"Who said I was?"

Jordan gave a small laugh.

"Come on. You never act like this. You've hardly said a word to me or the others. Why do you think you're fooling us?"

Caroline looked up, her eyelids raised, & they dropped once again.

"Sorry."

"If you're sorry, than quit actin like this!"

Caroline looked up once again, her mouth slightly open.

"& quit givin me that look! It absolutely disgusts me."

Caroline smiled.

"Alright then... aneue."

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: yaay! sisterly moments once again! 


	45. Awkward Feelings

Caroline: O.O OMGWTFBBQ! 57 REVIEWS! SQUEE I GUESS THIS IS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT THN HUH? o well wutevr...

* * *

Chapter 45: Awkward Feelings

Caroline stared out the window resting her head on her hand.

"Erg... don't you people have anything modern out here?"

Caroline looked up.

"Not as far as I'm concerned."

Jordan sighed.

"This is gonna be the most boring trip ever."

Caroline raised an eyebrow.

"We'll see about that."

---

"You did what?"

Caroline rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

"Well, see... it kinda got ripped off."

"Erg! What is it with you & your brother? How many limbs are ya gonna lose?"

Caroline sighed.

"Well, can ya fix me up?"

Winry sighed lazily.

"I guess I'm just too nice to say no..."

"Thanks Winry!" Caroline yelled, bounding up the stairs.

---

"Hey Jordan! Good news! She's gonna- Hey, you look kinda sad... What's up?" she asked as she stood by the door.

The girl looked up, slightly smiling.

"Awkward feeling... that's all," she said.

"Awkward?" Caroline asked, shutting the door. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing... just... never mind..." she said, looking down.

"_Niisan!" she yelled, latching onto her brother's leg as he walked in through Hughes's door. From the time she was five & a half till she was seven, her brother had been off at war, leaving the two to stay with Hughes & his family._

_Roy gave a slight smile, his expression confused & unsure at first._

"_Oh..." he said finally. "Hey Jordan."_

"_This one's asleep," Hughes said, holding a sleeping six year old Caroline in his arms. "Poor thing. Said she had a bad dream the other night. Hasn't gotten any sleep for two days."_

_Roy's expression softened. He nodded & took the girl._

"_Thanks Hughes," was all he said before he & the two children left._

---

"_Roy..." Jordan asked, once out on the sidewalk. "What happened?"_

_He looked down at her, his eyes wide. His eyes were different now. He had a constant look of fear on his face._

"_Nothing," he answered, looking at the ground._

"_Why didn't you write?" she asked innocently._

"_Couldn't," he said. "Didn't ever have time."_

"_Oh..." Jordan said, her eyelids dropping. "Did you even... miss us at all?"_

_Roy looked down at her, smiling for once._

"_More than you would know._

---

"_Niisan..."_

_Roy laid the six year old in her bed, then turned around._

"_What is it?" he asked._

_She clenched her fists, a look of her own determination passing over her face. _

"_I wanna know what happened."_

"_Nothing happened," he said, looking somewhat angrier._

"_Stop lying," she ordered. "You look at me as if you've just seen a ghost every time I ask you something. Your hands were shaking in fear when you were carrying Caroline. & how would it be war if nothing happened, huh? I want you to stop hiding what happened & tell me for once, Roy!"_

_He stared at her blankly. She stared back, her eyes narrowed stubbornly._

"_Let's take this somewhere else."_

---

_Roy closed the door to Jordan's room, sighing._

"_What happened?" he asked. He tossed a gun out of his pocket at her, a picture taped to it of a little blonde girl, blood smeared on it._

_Jordan looked at the objects in her hands, her eyes wide in horror that her brother... her very own brother could actually... kill someone._

"_Two doctors were the victims. The Rockbells, as they were called. They had a little girl too... She was somewhere around your age."_

_Her eyes welled up._

"_Roy... did they... order you too?"_

_At that moment, her brother dropped to his knees, crying & hugging the girl._

Caroline's screams filled the house.

"Dammit!" she muttered.

"Caroline, please be patient, it'll all be over soon."

She sat back in the chair, her breathing rugged from the pain.

"This... sucks..." she muttered. "I always hate having this kind of surgery."

"Doesn't everyone?" Pinako muttered.

"They'd be an idiot if they didn't..." Caroline muttered, her eyes slowly starting to close from the new medication they were giving her.

"Thanks for your help," Caroline yelled, her arm around her Jordan's shoulders for support.

"You can stay another night," Winry said. "You don't have to be in such a rush. That medication's pretty strong."

Caroline grinned. "Well, I gotta be back in East City. They'll fall apart without me."

Jordan hit her gently in the head, the medication almost causing the girl to fall.

"Well, goodbye!" Caroline said, waving. "Thanks again!"

---

"So Jordan..." Caroline muttered, swaying around as they continued down the long road to the train station. "I bet you were pretty sad when Miroku almost got killed, huh?"

"Nani?" the freckled girl asked, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You know... when I almost killed Miroku?" she pointed a finger in her face, her voice having an odd tone to it.

Jordan blushed. "I wasn't even conscious when you attacked him," she muttered.

'You speak about it so casually,' she thought.

"That's what they all say..." Caroline said, laughing at her comeback.

Jordan sighed.

'You better be glad I know you're on medicine.'

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: hehheh... i really WAS like that on the medicine they gave me once i got surgery on my arm... SERIOUSLY the day AFTER i got surgery i wantd 2 go shoppin & sell old clothes... heheh enuff of me... review pleaz! O & HAPPY HOLIDAYS INCASE I DONT UPD8 B4 THN! 


	46. Birthdays

Caroline: uhh... not much 2 say... happy holidays again i guess

* * *

Chapter 46: Birthdays

"Jordan! Jordan! Jordan!"

The girl looked at the girl sitting across from her, her blue eyes opened halfway, getting somewhat irritated with the girl's behavior.

"What?" she asked, dragging it out, just to see if the other girl would notice she was tired.

"Look at the butterflies!" Caroline said, smiling toothily.

Jordan blinked, noticing she was pointing towards the window.

"Ekai..."

"Yes, aneue?"

"That's rain."

"Oh..." Caroline looked down for a few minutes.

For the few seconds the girl was quiet, she began to listen to the rain. It was so... soothing... so calm... so...

"Aneue! You know what my dream in life is?"

High it wasn't even funny.

"To get your arm back?" she asked lazily.

"Nope!" Caroline chirped.

She sighed. "What is it, then?"

"To train a fish!"

Jordan's eyes widened, beginning to wonder how anyone could train a fish.

"Well then, Caroline. You know what you do?

"What?" Caroline asked, looking highly interested.

"You think of ways to train that fish!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! You think about it long & hard!"

The girl's idea seemed to work. Caroline was stuck, thinking hard about ways to train a fish.

However... just when she started to doze off...

"Hey, aneue!"

She opened one eye.

"What is it?" she asked, through gritted teeth.

"You know what?"

Jordan noticed the brunette looking particularly angry.

"What?"

"You think you act like a wolf, punk? You think you do?" she asked threateningly.

She wondered what on earth the child was getting at.

"What?"

"Yeah, well, I got news for you!" she yelled. "Ya don't"

Now, _that_ went _too_ far over the line.

Both eyes flashed open.

"Oh yeah? Then, what do I act like?" Jordan asked, thinking she had put the girl up to a challenge.

"A giraffe!" Caroline yelled.

Jordan blinked, her eyes wide & confused.

"How can you act like a giraffe?" Jordan asked.

_That_ put the child to a challenge.

"Um..." Caroline began thinking long & hard about it.

Jordan waited till the girl thought so hard, she fell asleep, just to make sure she didn't try anything else.

"Finally... some sleep..." Jordan muttered as her eyes slowly closed.

---

Caroline yawned as she woke up. The sun shone through the windows of the room. She clenched her left fist towards the sun. It had been a week since she got the surgery. The door opened.

"Hey," Jordan said. "It's almost 11. You finally awake?"

Caroline blinked. "11? Wow..." she said, amazed. "You actually got up earlier than I did."

"Yeah," she said. "What's up with that?"

"Erg..." Caroline said, scratching the top of her head. "I had to take that medication again."

Jordan's eyes widened.

"Not that medication. The one for pain..."

"Oh... the one that makes ya sleep, right?"

"Exactly," Caroline said, dropping back onto her bed.

"Hey kid! Catch."

Caroline shot her hands up in just enough time to catch a small, wrapped package.

"Uh..." she said, staring at it confusedly. "What is it?"

"Just open it," Jordan said, leaning against the doorway.

Caroline blinked, & then carefully pulled off the ribbon. She pulled off the top of the box, & took out a silver dog tag. She put it around her neck, & then took out a small piece of paper.

'Happy birthday' was all it read, signed by the girl.

Caroline blinked, then looked up, with a sad look on her face.

"Happy?" she asked, the tone in her voice lost.

"Be happy you're alive, kid."

Caroline blinked, a confused look on her face as she watched her friend walk out the door.

---

Caroline walked, looking down at the black & green boots she wore, very similar to Ed's. She wore a gray sweatshirt under a green t-shirt, & looser black pants, her pocket watch clipped to a belt loop, & her hands in her pockets.

She stopped walking immediately.

'5 years ago today... happy birthday, Caroline'

---

"Ow!" Caroline yelled, rubbing her head as she fell to the ground. She looked up. "Sorry."

She paused, examining the nurse.

"Hey, wait," she said. "Haven't I seen you before?"

The nurse smiled.

"I believe you have. Aren't you that blonde boy's sister?"

"Uh... yeah... Edward."

The nurse nodded.

"I have some good new for you, then."

Caroline blinked confusedly until she noticed a certain blonde-haired teen standing right behind the nurse.

He smiled & raised a single hand as a greeting.

"Hey sis," he said.

Caroline blinked, then smiled warmly.

'Happy birthday, Caroline.'

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: ok so 4 future info- Ed's 16, Jordan & Al are15, & Caroline's 14 


	47. Home Again

Caroline: BIG MISTAKE GUYS! srry but i just realized i made like the HUGEST mistake ever- altho none of u guys probly noticed it. hughes lives in central, & i like TOTALLY 4got that Roy is like... back in Central now... so really- Ed, Caroline, Al, Jordan, & Roy are ALL back in Central. O & srry i havent upd8d... ive been working SO long on this chaptr! im on the skool soccer team now & believe me-its BRUTAL practice. i startd on chaptr 48 tho so... hopefully it wont b 2 long...

* * *

Chapter 47: Home Again

"Good morning, you two," Mrs. Hughes said, hearing footsteps from upstairs.

A scream, & a stumble down the stairs later, a voice answered.

"Gudmrffnmeffshyus," Caroline muttered to the floor, something to the equivalent of what Jordan said moments later.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hughes."

Gracia blinked.

"Caroline's usually much more awake, isn't she?"

Jordan looked down at the body on the floor.

"Oh, her," she said. "She kept me up all night, so you know... when I woke up..."

"Ah," Gracia said, nodding her head. "Well, I made you two breakfast. I'm sure Roy told you what he was doing. He left earlier on."

"Ah," Jordan said, nodding. "He did mention something earlier."

"Edward & Alphonse left earlier too. They didn't mention much."

"Well I'm sure they'll be fine," Jordan said, kicking the body in order to see if it was still alive.

A moan answered her question.

---

Caroline yawned, just as she finished tugging a black t-shirt over her head.

"What was Mrs. Hughes talking about earlier?" she asked Jordan, who was putting a red t-shirt, very similar to a sweatshirt, with a black hood & black sleeves.

"What?" she asked. "When she was talking about Roy?"

"Yeah," Caroline said, clipping her pocket watch to her jeans, hanging it by a chain.

"Oh," Jordan said, fiddling with her wristbands. "He went back to check on Inuyasha & those guys in the feudal era. Plus, he told em we'd be back here for a little bit longer."

"Huh?" Caroline asked, pulling her dog tag over her head. "Why'd he do that?"

"Ah, you know..." Jordan said. "Work, time for us to recover, plus, we kinda need a break, don't you think?"

Caroline shrugged, then smiled.

"Well, I guess you're right."

---

The two girls walked the streets. Caroline stretched her arms up towards the sky, & yawned.

"It's your own damn fault you're tired," Jordan muttered.

"Shut up," Caroline groaned.

"I'm probably gonna be falling asleep everytime I try to sign paperwork," Jordan muttered a few minutes later.

Caroline laughed.

"& you wonder why I don't wanna get a higher rank."

"Higher rank means more money," Jordan chanted.

"Oh shut up," Caroline said. "That's crap. You & Roy are snobby little rich kids, & you don't need anymore money."

"Plus..." Jordan said, grabbing the girl's ponytail.

"What the shit!" Caroline yelled quite loudly.

"You get to keep a tighter leash on the lower ranks," she said happily, pulling back as hard as she could.

"Ow!" Caroline yelled, before she gained back her balance. "Oh, just shut it..." she muttered, stopping for a minute or so to let her hair down, & then fix it back up into a ponytail.

"Hey shrimp!"

When Caroline was done fixing her hair, she looked up. About a block & a half up ahead waved a certain black-haired lieutenant, just innocently waving a hand at her.

"What'd you call me!" Caroline yelled angrily, clenching her fists.

"A short-fused, short-tempered, short-sighted shrimp," Jordan said, smirking widely.

"Short, short, short!" Caroline yelled. "Can you be anymore repetitive, Jordan!"

Jordan smiled.

"Bye!" she yelled, running off & laughing.

"Why you..." Caroline muttered. "Don't run away from me!" she yelled, pointing a finger.

It caused the girl to laugh even harder.

"Oh, that's it..." Caroline growled, beginning to run. She brought her hands together, clapping, & transmuted her left arm into a sword. "You better run, Mustang!"

All of a sudden, the girl felt a strong collision to her legs.

"Ow!" a little boy said, falling to his butt in front of the girl.

Caroline knelt down.

"Hey, kid, are you okay?" she asked.

He smiled, a tooth missing.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm fine."

He jumped up quickly, his hands in his pockets.

"See ya!" he yelled, running off.

Caroline watched him run off into an alley on the side of the street, then looked up quickly ahead. Jordan was already gone. Caroline sighed, transmuted her left arm back to normal, & continued walking.

---

The little boy ran up the alley.

"Must... hurry..." he muttered.

Finally at the end of a long alley, he spotted a mysterious looking man.

"Did you get it?" he asked.

The boy nodded, & thrust a pocketwatch into the man's hand.

"Gimme back my sister!" he yelled.

The man stared at the silver item for a minute, examining it, & then let go of a younger blonde's wrist.

"You may go," he muttered.

---

"Aw, this aint fair at all!" Caroline whined. "I come here just to have a 'friendly conversation' & what do I get? Tell me, Jordan, what do I get!"

Jordan laughed. "Friendly conversation my ass. Look, you kept me up all night so now I'm getting revenge..." she said, then put up a finger. "With interest."

"Interest!" Caroline yelled. "Screw interest! I'm _not _doing _your _paperwork!"

"Oh?" Jordan asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well... if _that_ doesn't interest you, I could get you court-martialed for disobeying orders."

Caroline fumed, then frowned, focusing her eyes on the ground.

"Fine."

---

"Lazy ass lieutenant," Caroline muttered, stretching her arms to the night sky as she exited the military headquarters. "I swear... when I get my hands on her..."

Before she knew it, she was face down on the ground.

"Ow..." she muttered. "Son of a bitch..."

She looked at the rolling soccer ball behind her.

"Hey!" a group of kids yelled, running towards the girl.

"Are you okay?" one of them asked, standing right before her.

"Yeah..." Caroline muttered, pushing herself up. "I'm fine."

"Hey, are you in the military?" a boy asked, pointing to the building she left just behind her.

"Well... yeah," Caroline said, rubbing the back of her neck. "I am."

"Hey, can you give this to a... Caroline Elric?" a girl asked, handing her the note.

"Uh... yeah... sure," Caroline said.

"Okay, thanks!" they yelled, running off.

'What's this for?' she thought.

She opened the letter.

'_Forsaken Alchemist Caroline Elric,_

_If you wish to have your pocket watch returned to you, meet me in the Central Freight Yard around midnight. You best come alone. I trust you know the way._

_Anonymous'_

'What the...'

"Hey, you!" she yelled, then stopped as she noticed the kids were gone.

She checked the belt loop she usually kept it clipped to. Nothing. No chain. No pocket watch.

'So... it is gone...' she looked up, continuing forward as she stuffed the note into her pocket. 'Dammit, Jordan, this better not be some sort of revenge.'

---

Caroline walked in the door to the house she originally grew up in.

"Well... it's been a while since I've been here," she said, laughing to herself. "I haven't been here since I was nine..."

"Yeah, well," Jordan said, shrugging & closing the door as the girl walked back in for the first time in years. "That's what you get for going away for three years."

Caroline smiled slightly.

"Yeah... when I first came back, I had to be sent all the way to East City," she said. "& since Roy's gotten his transfer..." All of a sudden, she stopped. "Oh my god, what the hell is that stench?"

Jordan sighed. "Roy's home-cooking. The _only_ thing you inherited from him."

"Jordan, I know you don't want any of this, but... hey Caroline do y-"

"Roy," Jordan said.

"Yes?"

"Caroline's about to pass out from the smell. I don't think she wants any."

Jordan kicked the twitching body on the ground.

"Shall we order out?"

"Please," Caroline muttered in a voice that sounded as if she were going to die,

---

Caroline wandered up the stairs, a brown leather backpack hoisted over her shoulder. She stopped.

"So... I guess we have the same rooms, right?" Caroline said, trying to smile.

Roy noticed her effort.

"I moved another bed into Jordan's room," he said. "A long time ago, incase you ever came back. I didn't think you'd mind."

Caroline stared for a minute, then began to move again.

"Arigatou," she said, her voice getting quieter as she got closer to the second story.

---

She found herself staring at the closed door, a distant look in her eyes.

'Home again, huh?' she thought.

"Hey."

Caroline turned around, her eyes half-lidded, still lost in remembrance.

"You okay?" Jordan asked, looking somewhat concerned.

Caroline gave a sad little smile, trying to show all her teeth as usual, closing her eyes to try to hide the sadness in them.

"Yeah... I'm fine."

---

Caroline stared at the ceiling, her arms behind her head. She sighed as the fan blew cold air on her & the sleeping body just feet away.

'What... what do I do? I can't just get up & leave,' she looked over at the girl on the other bed. 'They've... been waiting for me to return all this time..." She looked up at the ceiling once again. 'But... how can I ever prove my position as a State Alchemist again?' She thought for a minute, & raised her left hand up towards the ceiling. 'That's right... I can't. I... have to get that watch back... or else...' She clenched her fists. 'Everything I worked for will be a joke...'

She stood up & put on her usual outfit, leaving off the black jacket she wore under her green coat, & wearing the black tank top under it instead. As she slipped on the green coat, she looked back at Jordan.

'I'm... sorry...'

Then she turned, & walked out of the room, the door closing quietly as a pair of blue eyes flashed open.

---

Caroline stared at the door, the distant look still in her eyes. She finally frowned, biting her lower lip to keep it from trembling from the sheer horror of the room before her. She put her hand on the doorknob, then slowly opened the door.

The door creaked, & the smell of blood instantly made the girl want to throw up, but she swallowed hard & entered in. She looked around. Everything... absolutely everything was the same. A transmutation circle was drawn onto the floor, & blood had stained the floor as well. There were books on her desk, as well as drawings, just as it had been five years ago. The bookcase, the blood-stained bed, the desk... everything was exactly the same. Caroline closed the door, letting moonlight guide her way.

She slowly walked towards the window in her room.

"This would always be the best room to sneak out of..." she muttered, looking back to let a tear fall.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: R&R pleaz! 


	48. Her Protector

Caroline: yay! i get 2 go 2 winter retreat 2morro! cant w8! o yea- & 4 those of u who hav playd Fullmetal Alchemist & the Crimson Elixir for PS2... im talkin about the freightyard u fight Scar in...

* * *

Chapter 48: Her Protector

"Roy," Jordan said, shaking his arm.

No answer.

"Roy..." she whispered louder.

Still no answer.

Jordan sighed, & took a deep breath.

"Riza's in a miniskirt..."

"Where!" Roy shot up, his eyes opened wide.

Jordan laughed. Roy frowned.

"Must you consistently do that?" he asked, blushing only slightly.

"If you refuse to wake up," she said. "Yes, I must, but we've got a problem on our hands..." she said, crossing her arms.

"What?" Roy asked, clearly not interested.

"This..." Jordan said, handing a folded piece of paper to Roy.

He read over it.

"That's not good..." he muttered, handing it back to her, then studying the expression on her face. "Oh don't tell me she actually-"

"She did."

"Dammit," Roy said, smacking a hand to his forehead.

---

Caroline walked along the back alleyways of Central, her hands in her coat pockets. She studied each turn & each corner carefully. She finally found herself facing a dead end. She continued after a moment's pause.

"& if I remember correctly..." she whispered, pressing her foot down.

A manhole cover lifted up where she had her foot pressed.

"Bingo..." she muttered happily.

She climbed the ladder down into the sewers, holding her nose as she entered.

"Ugh..." she muttered. "Something smells like it died down here... multiple times."

She continued onwards, seeming to know just where & where not to go. She laughed to herself.

"Exploring Central with Jordan sure did have its uses," she said.

She finally came across a door. She opened it, & ran inside. To the right was a pair of stairs.

"Alright..." she muttered, running up the stairs. She ran to the ladder a few feet from where the stairs ended.

She smiled as she climbed the ladder.

"Must have been ten years... & I still remember the shortcut..." she said.

She finally reached fresh air, & began to walk around.

"Hello? Anyone here?" she looked around as the silence answered.

In the large alley lay large crates surrounding the walls, three in the middle of the alley, leaving only one small space to run away...

But Caroline was not going to run away. She was going to get back that pocket watch of hers, & that probably meant doing some fighting.

She hit her forehead.

"I'll be damned... if this is some sort of joke..."

"Forsaken Alchemist..."

A shadow appeared in the moonlight, a very tall figure, most likely a man.

Caroline stood in a fighting stance.

"Who are you?" she asked angrily. "What do you want with me?"

There was a silence as it continued to get closer to her.

"Did you come alone?"

Caroline hesitated, but then answered, lowering her stance.

"Yes. Now, do you have my pocket watch or not?"

Caroline's eyes caught a silvery glimpse fly through the air. She caught it in her hands & chained it to her belt loop.

"So... who are you?"

"You alchemists call yourself creators, do you not? Well, if there are creators, there must also be destroyers."

Caroline dodged as a flash of red came her way. She ran the other way.

"What the... hell... are you talking about?" she asked as she ran. "You're using alchemy, you idiot!"

She continued running around the circle made by boxes.

"Is this what you do, Forsaken Alchemist?" the man asked. "Is this your strategy? Running?"

Caroline smirked & kept on running, looking at each & every crate. Finally she ran to the right side of the alley, & jumped on one crate.

"Can't reach me up here, can you?" she asked, crossing her arms, getting the man's attention.

"You won't win the way you've planned," the man said moments later.

A blast of red blew up the crate, & Caroline landed, coughing from the smoke. She stuffed some of what was left from the crate into her pocket, & ran, dodging Scar's next attack by jumping onto a smaller crate.

"It's not going to work," the man said coldly. "You & your hiding places shall be destroyed!"

Another blast of red came towards her. Before it could hit, she climbed onto a taller box next to it.

"When will you learn?"

Another blast. Caroline jumped down & gathered small bits of what had been in the box. She ran over to the tallest crate yet.

'Please...' she thought. 'Let this work...'

She jumped up, & managed to pull herself up & over the crate, in between the crate & the wall, no way out.

She quickly began drawing a transmutation circle onto the ground. She took a pencil out of her coat pocket, broke the end of it off & threw it onto the ground, throwing a piece of cement onto it as well.

"You just won't learn, will you?" the man asked from the other side.

Caroline clapped her hands together & placed them on the transmutation circle.

"You're going to die!"

A blast of red blew up the crate. There was silence.

The man gave a sneer. Then suddenly a whirring sound was heard.

"Ugh!" he yelled as he was forced back several feet, an aching pain in his stomach.

A figure appeared in the smoke & caught the weapon.

"What... is that?" the man asked, wiping some blood off from his mouth.

The figure stepped out, a full smirk on her face, a huge shuriken heaved over her shoulder.

"It's a shuriken..." she said. "I made it," she claimed proudly as she tore off her coat.

"Made... it?" the man asked. "How?"

"Well, first off, the bases of iron include .81 carbon, & I got that from pencil lead, which is what was in the first box, phosphorus, which I got from a little bit of cement, the last box I jumped on, magnesium, which makes 2.1 of air, silicon, which makes up 27.7 of air as well, & finally, sulfur, which I got from the pollution of Central factories."

She smiled.

"Your talents are amazing..." he said. "But your agility is not!"

She dodged another blast, & threw the shuriken towards him. Amazingly he caught it in his right hand.

'No... way...' Caroline thought, her eyes getting wide.

All of a sudden, the shuriken was blown into bits.

Caroline stepped backwards slowly.

'This... this guy... he... he's impossible to beat. He just destroyed that in a matter of seconds... as well as everything else around here... &... I'm gonna be next.'

"I'll give you a moment to pray."

Caroline was brought back from her thoughts. There the man was, standing right in front of her. She tried to step back, but forced herself into the wall of another crate.

'This... this is it... I'm... actually gonna die here.'

---

A man with a black cloak roamed the streets. He heard noise coming down from the nearest alley. He looked down the alley curiously, seeing a brown-headed girl frightened out of her mind, trapped by a foreign looking man.

'Ca...ro...line?'

---

She heard her heart pounding in her chest, faster & faster by the second. Her breathing increased, & her eyes were wide.

'Is... this... how I'm gonna die?' she thought, frightened but infuriated. 'Trapped against a crate... not even trying to live?

"No," she decided, getting a firmer look in her eyes. "I will not die by the hands of you!" she yelled, hurling a punch towards the man's stomach.

However, she couldn't pull back. She was confused. She had used her left hand, so what was wrong. She looked.

He had both his hands around her left one, holding it in an iron grip. Before she could even react, he tightened his grip, & threw her completely across the ending of the alley.

The girl slumped against the bottom of the wall. She only opened her eyes halfway, her vision blurred & unfocused, her mind spinning, confused. Her eyes finally closed, her body going limp.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: r&r! 


	49. Because of You

Caroline: ugg... im having a HORRIBL week. wintr retreat was all about drama becuz the friend i invited would NOT stop complaining becuz her brand new video ipod (which we werent evn sposed 2 bring got broken in a prank), & whn i came home i learnd my brother-in-law got a stomach virus so no 1 could c him 4 like... DAYS & that my sistr got 2nd & 3rd degree burns from spilling tea from Starbucks on herself. well yestrday she wakes up & thn SHE gets the stomach virus & has 2 go home & stay w/ her hubby while we babysit my nephew, & thn 2day I startd feeling sick & had 2 come home & WORST OF ALL- i learnd that the dog i knew since b4 i was born was put 2 sleep on Monday night (the anniversary of my dead grandfathers birthday) becuz the vets said he couldnt walk anymor, he was already blind, & he had already had so many strokes & they calld my dad yestrday & told him it was for the best.

* * *

Chapter 49: Because of You

The man walked towards her. As he stood before her at last, he looked down at the beaten body, her ponytail falling out of the band that held it, almost completely down as it hung over her left shoulder.

"Pitiful thing..." he said, putting a hand out before her. "To die so young... May god guide your-"

"Don't lay a hand on her!"

The man turned. There stood a black-cloaked man, his blonde hair flowing in the breeze.

He drew a transmutation circle onto the ground, creating a lance. He ran towards the man, missing a chance to get a good slash at him, but managing to get a great left hook, pushing the man back several feet.

He turned, dropped the lance, & ran to Caroline. He crouched, & immediately began shaking the girl by the shoulders.

"Caroline..." he muttered. "Caroline, wake up!"

She didn't respond, her mouth open just a little. He put his ear to her chest. She still had a pulse, but wasn't breathing.

All of a sudden, a shadow loomed over the two of them. The man looked over his shoulder, then picked up Caroline into his arms, holding her protectively.

_I will not make the same mistakes that you did_

"You know I will kill anyone who interferes," the attacker said coldly.

The man gritted his teeth.

"If you kill me," he said, looking down at the concrete. "Would you promise not to kill her as well?"

_I will not let myself cause my heart so much misery_

The attacker was silent.

_I will not break the way you did, it looked so hard_

"Why do you wish to protect her?" he asked curiously.

"Because..." the man said. "I'm... I'm her-"

_I learned the hard way to never let it get that far_

"Hold it right there!"

A gunshot rang out through the night sky. Two figures stood in the end of the alley where it lead to the freight yard. The taller figure held a gun. The shorter figure snapped suddenly, lighting a flame & holding it just above her hand, using it as a light.

_Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk_

The taller figure stepped forwards, frowning.

"Scar..." he muttered. "What have you done this time?"

The attacker scowled.

"The two fire alchemists are you?" he said, stepping towards them. "I'm doing God a great favor tonight."

"If you did anything to Caroline I swear I won't rest until you're dead & burned, Scar!" he yelled.

_Because of you I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt_

"I think you'll be the one dead, Flame Alchemist!" Scar yelled, pulling back his right hand.

_Because of you I find it hard to trust not only me but everyone around me_

"Jordan!" Roy yelled.

"Right!" the girl responded.

She snapped, creating a wall of fire, blocking Scar from all of them. A few minutes passed until Roy raised a hand.

Jordan snapped once again & the wall went down. Scar was gone.

_Because of you I am afraid_

"Must've gone down the sewers," Roy muttered, putting the gun & his gloves in his pocket. "Now, where is that kid?"

_I learned to fake_

"Roy," Jordan said, pointing.

_& it's not too long before you point it out_

Roy looked up, & saw a figure get up, 'that kid' in its arms. The two siblings ran over.

"Excuse me, sir," Roy said. "But she's my-"

He stopped, stepping back a foot, horrified.

_I cannot cry because I know it's weakness in your eyes_

"Roy," Jordan asked, tugging at his shirt sleeve. "What's wrong?"

"Ho... Hoenheim Elric?" Roy asked, not even hearing what she said.

The man kept his eyes focused on the ground.

Jordan's eyes widened as well.

"Wait, you mean this guy is..." she swallowed.

Roy's eyes narrowed, fire burning within them.

_I'm forced to fake a smile & laugh every single day of my life_

"What are you doing here?" he asked angrily. "I thought you were dead."

_How can my heart possibly break when it wasn't even whole to start with?_

The moonlight reflected in the man's glasses as he looked up guiltily.

"That letter you sent years ago... you wrote that yourself, didn't you?" he asked.

_Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk_

A blank stare answered him.

"She doesn't remember a thing from before the day you left her," he said, his voice getting quieter. "She never knew her last name until a few years ago."

_Because of you I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt_

He looked at the ground.

"Ever since my parents died, I wondered... how could that girl manage to smile & laugh &... be _happy_. She never even knew her parents. I still wonder that every day... how she manages to live learning piece-by-piece about something she could never know about- a _real_ family."

_Because of you I find it hard to trust not only me but everyone around me_

He looked up again, staring the man in the eyes.

_Because of you_

"Because of you."

_I am afraid_

There was a silence as Roy calmed down, scratching the back of his head. He looked at the girl in Hoenheim's arms. He reached out a hand & wiped off a drop of blood coming from a scratch on her cheek.

_I watched you die_

"Is she okay?" he asked Hoenheim quietly.

Before the man could answer, he looked down, his ears hearing a drop. Around the man's feet was a small puddle of blood. A drop of blood was what he heard. He winced.

_I heard you cry every night in your sleep_

"We have to get her to safety," he said.

---

He pulled up the girl's covers. He frowned, pushing some stray hair from her face. He turned around. Her father was looking horrifically at the transmutation circle on the floor.

"See what happened once you wrote that letter?" Roy asked, sitting in a chair by the girl's bed.

_I was so young_

"Why didn't you stop her?" Hoenheim asked.

"An even better question- why did you leave her?"

_You should have known better than to lean on me_

The two surprised men looked at the doorway Jordan was leaning against. Usually she was much more polite with adults, Roy knew, but it must've gotten too much for her now.

The man looked down.

"I'll... I'll admit it was the biggest mistake of my life..." he muttered. "If... if I could set back time I... I would take it back." He looked at Roy, his expression unreadable. "Do you know how much I regret it? I was never able to teach her how to talk, help her to walk." He looked down once more. "I was never there to watch her grow up, & I'll never be there to walk her down the aisle."

_You never thought of anyone else_

"Why?" Jordan asked, her eyes narrowed. "Why don't you just stay with her?"

"Because..." he answered, looking back up at Roy. "He's a much better father to her than I ever was."

He walked towards the door slowly.

_You just saw your pain_

"Wait, where are you going? Aren't you going to at least-"

"Jordan," Roy said. "Let him go."

Jordan looked at her brother, completely surprised, & watched the man walk out the door. All was silent until the front door shut.

_& now I cry in the middle of the night cause of the same damn thing_

---

Sunlight flooded the girl's eyesight as her brown eyes opened slowly. She saw a familiar room surrounding her.

_Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk_

"Wha... what happened?" she asked, everything but her eyes unmoving.

As she tried to sit up, a sharp pain rushed from her spine to her head. She gritted her teeth in pain, & laid back down. She finally noticed the figure whose eyes were following hers.

_Because of you I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt_

"Roy..." she whispered. "What... happened?"

"That letter..." he muttered, unblinking. "A State Alchemist killer, Scar... he sent it to you."

"Oh... yeah..." Caroline said. "That guy I fought last night..." she muttered. "He was tough."

Roy smiled slightly then frowned again.

"Why... why don't I remember anything after that?" she asked curiously.

_Because of you I try my hardest just to forget everything_

He looked at the ground.

"He threw you against a wall..." he said.

"So that's why it hurts to move..." she muttered.

He was silent.

"Is... that all?" she asked, sounding a little worried.

He shook his head slowly. There was a silence upon the two for a few minutes.

"A... man came to rescue you last night..." Roy said. "He... he tried to fight off Scar for you when you were knocked unconscious. He was going to give his life for you."

_Because of you I don't know how to let anyone else in_

Caroline looked confused & worried.

"Roy... who... who was it?" she whispered.

_Because of you I'm ashamed of my life because I'm told to_

"It... it was..." he swallowed, focusing all attention on the ground. "It was your father."

A silence fell upon them for several minutes.

"You probably need to be left alone," Roy said, standing up & heading for the door.

_Because of you_

Her silence answered him. He shut the door quietly, & began walking down the stairs.

"Hey," Jordan said, running into him up the stairs. "Is she awake yet?"

He kept his attention focused on the ground.

"What... happened?" she asked.

_I am afraid_

They both pretended they couldn't hear her scream.

_Because of you_

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: pleaz review- make me feel bettr... ill try 2 get chaptr 50 up soon ok? just review- its all i ask. make my week bettr PLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEAZZZZZZZZZZ? 


	50. My Sister's Keeper

Caroline: alrite guys! srry it took so long but... im finally upd8ing! i had 2 work on getting a facebook so... yea. cuz i was invited & all. o yea- im REALLY trying 2 upd8 as much as i can b4 v-day becuz our class leaves 4 memphis that mornin & i wont be back till thursday nite so... yea. friday my bf ((2 YEARS AS OF the 7th!)) is takin me 2 dinnr & ill meet up w/ meghan, blain ((if u remembr me telling u about her brother earlyer on in the chapters)), & of course jordan at the movies. saturday me, my bf, & meghan will go 2 the mall, & i dont hav soccr until after memphis! squee! it was awful this week. it POURD down rain monday during practice & we couldnt stop & thn 2day we had 2 run FIFTY sprints becuz sum idiot grl wouldnt SHUT. UP. o yea & it turns out im now officially jordans slave 4 the week... hasnt been SO bad ((yet.))... except i hav 2 call myself a shrimp 17 mor times.

* * *

Chapter 50: My Sister's Keeper

The girl woke up, an aching pain in her head. A bead of cold sweat ran down past her ear. She brought her hand to cover her eyes up.

'Damn it...' she muttered. 'I'm sick of these nightmares.'

Jordan knocked once, & walked right in.

"I didn't say you could come in..." she muttered, as she lowered her hand.

"What?" Jordan said, shrugging. "I was just checking to make sure you didn't run out again. That was awfully stupid of you to run out in the rain, might I add. You'll be in bed even longer now," she said as she sat down on the chair beside the bed, turning it around. (a/n: i decided 2 skip a chapter of just Caroline running out in2 pouring rain 2 find her dad... srry if that upsets u but thats wut happend...deal with it.)

"Why?" Caroline asked. "We used to do it all the time."

"Yeah," Jordan said. "But never when it's pouring down rain, _&_ when your back's in the shape it is."

Caroline opened her mouth to say something, but then sneezed quite loudly.

"Are you feeling okay?" Roy asked, poking his head in through the door as he walked by.

Caroline sniffled.

"Yes, just perfectly fine..." she muttered grumpily.

He stepped into the room.

"I said I'm okay, you freak!" she yelled. "Get out of my room!"

He walked towards her until he was standing right beside the bed & Jordan. He looked at her, then raised an eyebrow, smiling, looking at her just as a parent would look at a child for lying.

"Well then how come you don't look fine?"

"Don't criticize a girl's beauty!" Caroline yelled, offended.

"That's not what he meant," Jordan said, hitting her forehead on the back of the chair.

He placed a hand on Caroline's forehead unexpectedly.

"Oh no," Caroline muttered in a monotone voice, sounding innocent but not worried, "You're not gonna splode my head, are ya?"

He looked worried.

"You're burning up..." he muttered.

"What?" Caroline asked confused.

Roy suddenly yanked her mouth open, & looked at her throat.

"Yep..." he said, ignoring her. "Your throat's red too."

"So she's sick?" Jordan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Apparently s-" Roy stopped halfway though his sentence, gritting his teeth in unbearable pain. His eyes were twitching too, angrily but painful.

She looked to what could cause her brother so much pain.

What she saw was one of Roy's whole hands clamped tightly between Caroline's teeth. She couldn't tell which one looked angrier. Probably Roy, because, hey, she'd be angry too if Caroline was biting her.

"Caroline, would you please be so kind enough as to _let go of my god damn hand_?" Roy asked, gritting his teeth.

Caroline only growled.

"As your commanding officer, I _order _you to let my hand go," he said.

How dare she! Roy could've sworn he felt her bite even harder, if possible.

"Caroline..." Roy growled.

Nothing.

Roy cleared his throat.

'Oh lord,' Jordan thought, just calmly blinking. 'She's in for it.' She covered her ears.

"CAROLINE ELRIC! IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE ENOUGH TO LIVE TO SEE PAST THIS COLD YOU HAVE, YOU WILL OPEN YOUR MOUTH RIGHT THIS SECOND!"

Caroline let go way before he even finished saying her whole name. Roy flexed his fingers out, & looked back down at where she should've been. Instead, he just saw a shaking figure under red covers. He looked at Jordan, & the two shrugged & sighed hopelessly.

"Gee, I wonder where Caroline is," Roy said loudly.

"Maybe she slipped through the cracks of the floor," Jordan said, playing along with the game.

"I'm... I'm not... I'm not-" Caroline stopped & sneezed loudly under the covers.

Roy threw the covers off her once all was quiet again. She sniffled & looked up at him. He put a hand to her forehead once again.

"Hm..." he thought for a minute. "Seems you have a pretty high fever..." he muttered. "Around 102-104 degrees."

Caroline sniffled again.

"How can you tell?" she asked.

"Simple," Jordan said, answering her question. "Since Roy & I are around fire all the time, we eventually can learn to come up with a pretty accurate guess on any sort of heat. It's something we Mustangs all come to learn."

"You probably need to get some rest," Roy said, getting off the subject. "Until we can get you some medicine, that is."

Caroline nodded, then yawned as her brown eyes slowly closed.

"Roy," Caroline said as he put a hand to the doorknob. He looked up. "Thank you."

He smiled a warm smile, then walked out, shutting the door.

---

Roy flipped through a book on the kitchen table.

"Hey," Jordan said, as she walked through the kitchen. "Whatcha lookin at?"

She walked over, a cup of water in her hands. She looked over his shoulder.

"Oh," she said. "That old thing?"

Roy flipped through a book of photographs. Jordan pointed to one picture in particular.

"Roy," she asked. "What is that thing on your head?"

The two stared at the picture for a few minutes.

"Exactly what I'm trying to figure out..." he said slowly.

He flipped a page, then grinned.

"Well, Jordan," he said. "What are you wearing here?"

Jordan twitched, then flipped the page quickly.

"I was in diapers, Roy," she said. "I couldn't do anything about it!"

The two finally noticed something.

"Hey, there's mom & dad," Jordan muttered.

Roy had a far look in his eyes as he looked at a picture of the two smiling people.

"Yeah," he said. "There they are."

He looked at his sister. The siblings hadn't looked at that book together since the day their parents died. He wondered how she would react. They didn't bring it up often.

She turned around, looking perfectly fine. She didn't let him know it was an effort to keep it that way.

"I'll be upstairs reading," she muttered, walking up the stairs as if nothing happened.

He watched, somewhat saddened by it all now. He expected tears to be in her eyes, & as much as he was relieved there weren't any, he was also hurt.

He flipped the page, finding an old picture of two certain girls.

For the first time in his life, he realized just how fast those girls grew up.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: o yea- extremely random but has anyone heard the english version of 'brothers'? is it just me or is ed like... a better singer than u wouldve thought? well... actually vic sings 4 both ed AND al. sniffle. thats such a sad song. i thought about using it in the next chapter but... it would make it 2 long. 


	51. What He Didn't Know

Caroline: wow. i must b a GR8 friend. considering this chaptr is all about jordan. all im in is a flashback. well wutevr- DEDIC8D 2 U ANEUE!

* * *

Chapter 51: What He Didn't Know

Jordan stretched out her arms, & yawned as she walked into the kitchen. She put the glass in the sink, & looked at Roy's pocketwatch on the counter. It was around 11:30. The moon shone through the window, lighting most of the way, as a light in another room only shone dimly through the kitchen. She turned & looked at her brother, peacefully asleep on top of the book he was looking at earlier. She sighed & walked over to the table.

"Don't drool on the photo album, baka," she said quietly, though having acknowledged the fact she could not wake him if she brought the entire army drunk into their home.

She quickly grabbed the book, to place it somewhere other than where Roy might possibly drool on it. Suddenly, a photo slipped out, fluttering to the floor. The girl blinked, letting it sit there, face down, for a few seconds. She then placed the album onto the counter, & bent down to pick it up.

"What's this?" she muttered.

She flipped it over.

There was one picture of the two girls smiling big, toothy grins, each one wearing khaki shorts & a black sweatshirt. They had a bit of dirt on their faces, & they both had an arm around the other's shoulder.

She blinked, looking slightly upset by the sight of the picture, but finally smiled a sad little smile, & placed the picture where it should be.

"Good times, huh?" she said sadly, wandering up the stairs.

---

"_Roy..." Caroline groaned. "Watching you do work is so boring... can't we do something else?"_

"_Maybe if you two weren't so loud..." Roy muttered, looking highly uninterested in his own work._

"_We're not loud!" she yelled at the top of her lungs._

"_Honesty is a virtue..." Roy muttered._

"_You know what?" Caroline asked, a matter-of-fact tone in her voice. "I'm sick of you!"_

_Roy looked up, raising an eyebrow._

"_Oh really?" he asked._

"_Yeah, really!" Caroline snapped back. "You let Jordan just sit there in her seat, just as normal as ever, yet you tied ropes around my hands & feet! Something's not right here!"_

_Roy blinked._

"_That's because if I didn't, you'd be messing up my desk asking 'What's this' & 'What's that'," he said. _

"_Maybe bondage is just a fetish of yours..." Caroline said coldly, narrowing her eyes._

_Roy & Jordan's eyes twitched as Caroline just sat up, normally as ever, her eyes wide & innocent._

"_What?" Caroline asked, blinking. "What'd I say?"_

"_Do you even know the meaning of what you just said?" Jordan asked, somewhat scared of a six year old's comment to her older brother._

"_I just heard it from Mr. Havoc & Breda-san talking," she said, just as Roy hit his head on the desk._

"_Baka," Jordan said, lowering her head, her mind at the same state Roy's was in._

"_Her hands are tied to the chair too, you know..." Roy stated. He got up, sighing. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go find 'Mr. Havoc'." He walked towards the door. "It won't take long..."_

_The door closed._

"_God damn..." Jordan said, as both ropes slid off each girl's hands. "I thought he'd never leave." She stood up, rubbing her wrists. "You need help there?"_

_Caroline finished untying the ropes around her feet._

"_No, I'm fine," she said. "Now come on, let's go reek destruction wherever our paths should lead us."_

_There was a silence._

"_Actually I was just thinking of going to the store to buy some candy," Jordan said._

"_Ooh, ooh, I wanna go!" Caroline said, jumping up & down, tugging on the older girl's sleeves._

_A sigh followed. "Fine," Jordan said. "Roy will just have to pay me later for babysitting you."_

"_Excuse me?"_

_Both turned towards the door. Roy stood there, placing his gloves in his pocket. _

"_So I see you've managed to untie yourselves," he said, as he walked to his deak & sat down._

_Both girls narrowed their eyes determined to win._

"_There's never anything to do around HQ," Jordan said. "It's so boring. Can't we just play one game?"_

"_A quiet one?" Caroline asked, whispering._

_Roy chuckled. "What sort of game is quiet?"_

_The two thought._

"_Hide & seek?" Caroline suggested._

"_Too old," Jordan said. "We've played it a million times."_

"_Duck-duck goose?"_

"_No," Jordan shook her head. "What fun is it with two people?"_

_Caroline thought long & hard._

"_Spies?" she asked hopefully._

_A grin spread across Jordan's face._

"_Roy, can we?" she asked quickly._

"_As long as it's quiet."_

"_Yes!" both girls jumped up & down, pulling on a black sweatshirt, then ran out of the room, just as Riza walked in._

"_Sir, what was that about?"_

_Roy shrugged._

"_I think they're playing pirates or something..."_

_---_

"_Agent Pyro," Caroline whispered. "Do you read? I repeat- do you read?"_

"_Of course I read you. I'm standing right next to you," Jordan replied, as Caroline peeked around the corner of the next hallway. "& is it really necessary to call me Agent Pyro?"_

"_Yes," Caroline answered, sure of herself._

_A long silence._

"_Are you going to tell me if the coast is clear or not?" Jordan asked._

"_Roger that," Caroline said. "It's been clear for the past four minutes."_

_Jordan hit her head as Caroline dropped a roll into the next hallway. She followed behind, walking with her hands in her pocket._

"_Caroline, why are you acting like a-" she stopped. "What the heck are you wearing?"_

_Caroline turned around, a black ski mask on her forehead._

"_Do I look cool?" Caroline asked, smiling._

"_You look like an idiot," Jordan said._

"_Ssh," Caroline whispered. "Someone's coming."_

_Around the corner walked a very familiar blonde man, an unlit cigarette in his mouth. Jordan pulled up her hood._

"_Hey," the man said, as he got closer to them. "What are you doing here? Who are-"_

"_Freeze, sucka!"_

_Jordan stared in amazement as Caroline pulled a gun out of her sweatshirt pocket & pointed it at the man. The man growled, then ran in the other direction, screaming warnings._

"_Oh, now you've done it," Jordan said, grabbing the girl's hand in a death grip, taking the gun away from her & running._

_Caroline lifted up her mask with her free hand._

"_Aneue!" she cried in the childish trademark yell. "Where are we going?"_

"_The best place for spies to go," Jordan said, as they skidded to a stop at the doorway of an empty office._

_They ran in. Jordan jumped onto the top of one desk, & threw off the vent cover on the ceiling. Caroline was just massaging her sore wrist before she was pulled up into the vent by her hood._

_Caroline coughed._

"_Aneue?" she asked, before she coughed again. "What are we doing here?"_

"_We're hiding," Jordan whispered. "Keep it down. You're too loud. & take that stupid thing off."_

"_Are... are we still playing?" Caroline asked, covering her mouth & her nose as she stuffed the ski mask into her sweatshirt pocket._

"_Yes," Jordan answered. "We're still playing. Just follow me, got it?"_

_Caroline nodded, & the two began crawling._

"_I... I don't think many people play games up here," Caroline said, eyeing the cobwebs. "Do you think Roy-chan & Mr. Hughes play spies up here?"_

"_No," Jordan said. "I don't."_

_They kept crawling._

"_You know, I'm beginning to think this'll never-" Caroline ran into Jordan. "Hey watch where you're-"_

_Jordan covered the girl's mouth. Caroline stopped, then screamed into the hand, her words blocked muffled by flesh & blood._

"_Ssh..." Jordan whispered. "Listen."_

_She removed the hand from Caroline's mouth, as the brunette blinked & was still._

"_Fuhrer Bradley," came a woman's voice. "There is a call for you."_

"_Thank you, Mrs. Douglas," the Fuhrer said as the two girls above him looked at each other amazed._

'_We're right above the Fuhrer's office,' Jordan mouthed._

_Caroline smiled toothily & the two kept listening._

"_Hello?" the Fuhrer said. "Oh yes. Hello." A long pause. "So far I see nothing suitable for our purpose. The Colonel perhaps..."_

_Jordan looked back at Caroline, meeting worried, confused, & scared eyes._

"_What does he want with Roy-chan?" Caroline mouthed._

"_Be quiet," Jordan mouthed. "How should I know?" She turned around, before quickly looking over her shoulder again. "& don't start crying," she muttered._

_Caroline's lip quivered as she tried to fight tears back._

"_But..." she gulped. "But..." Sniffle. "I don't want something to happen to Roy!" she yelled as tears fell down her face._

"_Well, he might not be the-" the Fuhrer stopped as he heard a strange sound. "Hold on a minute," he whispered into the phone._

"_Shut up," came a voice trying to whisper, but loud enough to hear. "Nothing's going to happen to him, alright?"_

"_How do you know?" yelled another voice._

_There was a long silence._

"_Oh great," said the first voice sarcastically. "Now you've got us caught."_

"_You mean..." the second voice sniffled. "He can hear us?" A long silence lingered. "Hi Fuhrer Bradley!"_

_Right at that moment, the door slammed open to Fuhrer Bradley's office._

"_Fuhrer Bradley, Lt. Havoc said he spotted some terrori-"_

_The vent cover slowly pulled away from the ceiling._

"_Crap..." Jordan muttered._

_The two suddenly fell to the floor. They stood up, finding guns pointed at their heads, but instead of crying or screaming, the two just began snickering, turning into fits of giggles, & finally bursting out laughing._

_The day that was possibly the best day in their childhood had turned to a complete nightmare the next day._

_That was the day Jordan & Roy's parents died._

---

As the girl slipped under the covers of her bed, she buried her face into the pillow...

& began to cry.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: aww... angstangstangstangst. r & r pleaz! 


	52. Going Back

Caroline: konichiwa! im back from memphis! actually i returnd last thursday! i wouldve upd8d earlier but i had 2 go 2 the beach last weekend & i had a HUGE papr due this week for a test grade in 2 classes.. among HORRID soccer practice & 2 equally HORRID games. details l8r tho.

* * *

Chapter 52: Going Back

Caroline grabbed her black under shirt, & pulled it on over her tanktop. She grabbed the silver dog tags from the bedside & pulled them around her neck, then proceeded to button up the shirt. She put on her brown belt over her black pants, clipping her pocket watch to it. She then pulled on her black & green boots, & ran out of the room, grabbing her green coat off the chair. She walked down the stairs.

"My, you're up awfully early," Jordan muttered sarcastically as Caroline stepped into the kitchen.

Caroline looked at the clock. 11:37 am. She scratched the back of her head.

"Ah, shaddup," she muttered. "I barely slept at all last night."

"Ya think you'll be able to fight demons, then?" Jordan asked, drinking a sip of coffee.

Caroline clenched her left fist, & looked down at it, nodding.

All of a sudden, there was a knock on the front door. Jordan sighed, & got up, Caroline following behind. The elder slowly opened the door, her blue eyes peeking around it.

"Oh, hey Ed," she said. "Hi Al."

"So this is the boondocks?" Ed said aloud, looking up at the house, not paying attention.

"Good morning, Chuii," Al said, bowing slightly.

Jordan nodded respectfully, then left Caroline to her brothers.

"Ekai!" Al exclaimed.

"So, are ya ready?" Ed asked.

"Oh," Caroline looked confused. "Are we... are we all leaving... now?"

Ed raised an eyebrow.

"Well, what did you think?" he asked.

Caroline looked angry at her brother for a minute, then sighed.

"Hold on a minute," she said. "I have to go get something." She squinted as the blazing spring sun got in her eyes. "You can come inside if you want."

The blonde & his brother entered, & Caroline shut the door behind them, then began walking up the stairs.

"Heh," Ed said aloud, looking around as the two followed his sister up the stairs. "Mustang's always so cocky. Smug bastard. It just looks like a normal old house to me."

Caroline laughed nervously as she stopped at the door of her room.

"Yeah, well..." she said. "He just doesn't like to spend all of his money on the most expensive things."

Caroline slowly turned the doorknob, & walked into the dark room. She walked over to her desk, as Ed & Al slowly walked into the doorway. She moved some books around, studying each of them for a moment or so.

Ed looked around curiously, as he had been doing with the rest of the house. He then noticed a large transmutation circle to the left side of the room, as well as stains of blood, behind Caroline. He stared for a minute, then blinked.

"Is this... your room?" he asked.

Caroline ignored the question, & finally picked up a book.

"Something to do when we're not fighting," she said, as she passed Ed & Al & walked through the doorway.

---

Roy grabbed his coat, pulling it onto his shoulders as he exited the room, his little sister following behind.

"Leaving again, sir?" Riza Hawkeye asked.

Roy nodded.

"See everything to the end, Chuii," he said.

Her eyes had a soft look to them for a moment, but her face soon became stern again.

"Be careful, Taisa."

He nodded, & left the room.

"Bye, Riza-chan," Jordan said politely, waving.

Riza nodded in all due respect.

"Take care of him, Jordan."

Another nod later, & the door shut.

---

"So are we all sure that we're gonna go back now?" Ed asked the four surrounding the well.

Roy nodded. Jordan gave a smirk. Caroline looked unsure for a minute, then bit her lip, & gave her trademark grin.

"Alright then," he said. "Al!" he called over to the suit of armor. "Take care of yourself buddy!"

"You be careful, Ed! You too, Caroline!" Al shouted. "Taisa, Chuii, take care of them!"

The four smiled & nodded before they vanished into the well.

---

"Now that your strength has been restored, why don't you tell me what happened?" a cold voice asked. "Explain to me why I have no control over that girl?"

A brown-haired girl raised her head, her hair falling into her face. Bruises, cuts, & marks left by chains were all over her body.

"Yes, Lord Naraku," she answered. "All that I see that happened was this. When she got up to fight, she began making a transmutation circle with her feet, using the blood that got onto her boots. Thus, when you were fighting her, she decided to put that plan of hers into action. Remember that circle I showed her in order to gain her brother's leg back? She used that exact same circle, evaluating the laws of equivalent exchange. In order to gain her will back, she gave up her arm instead. Those... creatures from the Gate prefer physical items to mental characteristics."

"I see," Naraku said. "A clever one, she is. Any... physical weaknesses?"

Abandonment looked up, confused for a moment.

"Well, when she gets sick, she's incredibly weak."

Her master's lips curled into a cruel smile.

"Than we'll just have to use that weakness against her, now won't we?"

Abandonment blinked, then smirked.

"& get rid of her for once & for all."

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: R&R! & onward to the next chapter! 


	53. Broken Trust

Caroline: Well... not much to say.

* * *

Chapter 53: Broken Trust

"When do you think they'll return?" Shippo asked, perched on the wooden fence behind Kaede's hut.

"Beats me," Kagome said, pulling up an assortment of plants for stew. "What do you think, Sango?"

Sango shrugged.

"Do you even think they'll come back?" Kohaku asked, playing with Kirara as he sat on the fence beside Shippo.

"It'd be a shame if they didn't," Miroku said, leaning against it. He sighed. "Those two girls really were beauties."

The other four ignored the bashes.

"What do you think, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, looking up to the hanyou on the roof.

Inuyasha stared at the clouds, & said nothing. Kagome went back to her work.

'He must really be upset,' she thought. 'Every time we get on the subject, he acts as if it never existed. Hopefully when they return, he won't be so stubborn.'

Kagome was broken away from her thoughts as she sensed something.

"Oh great," Inuyasha said.

Kagome stared out into the distance for a few minutes & then saw four figures walking their way.

"Kagome!" Shippo yelled jumping into her arms. "They're here! They're here! They're back, Kagome!"

Kagome smiled, & the two ran off to greet them.

"Hey guys!" Kagome yelled, waving at them. "Welcome back!"

Roy gave a small wave as the two ran up to them.

"I missed you guys!" Shippo exclaimed, jumping into Jordan's arms.

"We're glad you're back," Kagome said smiling, then noticed Caroline hide behind her big brother, looking timid.

'Poor thing,' Kagome thought. 'She must still be feeling guilty. I can't even begin to imagine what I'd feel like if I were her.'

"Come on," she said, smiling. "Why don't we go & fix something to eat. I bet you're all starving."

---

Kagome laughed with the others as they sat around the pot & ate their dinner. She reached for the ladle, & filled her bowl up with some more. She had just eaten another bite, & then she gagged.

"Ugh..." she exclaimed. "The stew's getting cold."

"That must mean the fire's going to die," Roy muttered.

"I'll go get some more firewood," Caroline said, her voice stone cold.

They all looked to the corner, where she had been sitting all day by herself. The girl had stood up, & was staring at the ground, her expression matching her voice. All was silent.

"Actually," Inuyasha said. "I think I'll go instead. It's almost dark anyways."

"I'll go too," Miroku said. "Just incase trouble arises."

"I suppose I'll have to go too," Sango said, sighing. "There's enough trouble with just the two of you."

"Wait for me, aneue!" Kohaku exclaimed.

The four left, Shippo & Kirara prancing behind.

All was silent again.

"So... um... how's Al?" Kagome asked, looking at Ed. "You haven't said much about him on your trip back."

"Oh, uh..." Ed looked surprised that she asked. "He's fine, I guess. He probably has about a hundred kittens inside of him right now."

Kagome laughed.

"Then I bet he'd freak if he saw Kirara," she said.

Ed laughed too. "Probably."

A man burst into the hut, panting.

"Lady Kagome, my son... he's... fallen ill," he said. "Lady Kaede said she was busy with a woman giving birth, but to come & find you. She... also said there was something that needed to be delivered to the farthest hut in the village."

Kagome gasped, then nodded.

"Go now & make sure he's okay. I'll be there in a minute," she said. "I'll get the medicine. I need two assistants to come with me."

"Me & Roy can go," Jordan said. "Right, Roy?"

Roy nodded.

"I'll deliver," Caroline said from the corner again. The second thing she had said the whole time she had been there.

"Uh... I think Ed's faster," Kagome said. "Just... make sure Kaede's hut stays safe, alright?"

Caroline opened her mouth to say something, then looked down, her expression sad, & slowly nodded.

Kaogme, Jordan, & Roy left quickly. The two Elrics remained, & Ed rushed around the hut, looking everywhere for what Kaede wanted him to deliver. Caroline pulled her knees up to her chest.

"Aha, found it!" Ed exclaimed. He turned around, & his expression fell. "Hey... you okay?" he asked, going & kneeling beside Caroline.

She nodded.

"I just feel kinda sick, that's all," she muttered.

Ed knew that wasn't it, but he rubbed her cheek lovingly.

"It's okay," he muttered. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

She watched him leave, & now when she had the opportunity, she hid her head between her knees & screamed as she began to cry.

---

What she didn't see would bring her down though, for little did she know, someone was peeking through the window.

"Now that they don't trust you..." the same man who had been there earlier whispered. Slowly his form shifted to a long haired teenage boy. "Let's see if they'll even come to save you..."

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: R&R please! 2 chaptrs in 1 day bettr get sum! 


	54. Imposter

Caroline: thanks 2 the ONE person who reviewd on the last chaptr... ur all so loyal nowadays... really.

* * *

Chapter 54: Imposter

"You think it could've taken em any longer?" Inuyasha asked, walking into Kaede's hut. "Kagome do you know how slow these guys a-" he stopped, noticing no one there. "Ka...gome?"

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, catching up to him. He realized. "Where are they?"

"Smart one you are," he said, hitting him in the head. "If I knew that, I wouldn't be standing here."

"Hey what are we all doing standing around here?"

Inuyasha & Miroku turned around to see Sango, Kohaku, Shippo, Kirara, Kagome, & Jordan & Roy catching up.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said. "I thought you were hurt."

"Where's Ed & Caroline?" Miroku asked.

"Right here," Ed yelled, waving from a short distance away. "What's goin on?"

"Where's that girl?" Inuyasha said, his voice rising.

"Caroline?" Ed asked, giving a worried little smile. "She's inside. I told her to wait for me."

"Guess who's not waiting," Inuyasha muttered.

"Inuyasha, osuwari," Kagome ordered.

Ed fell to the ground angrily, & punched the ground.

"Damn it!" he yelled. "I told her to wait... _she said she would_!"

"Why don't all of you look closer?"

All looked to the front where Roy was standing, his hands clenched & shaking.

"Look at the floor where she was. Look at the marks left in the wood."

The group crowded around to look. Sure enough, once they looked, they saw five of what looked like nail marks in the wood, making it look as if one had struggled to get away.

"It looks like... maybe she was kidnapped," Kagome said worriedly, speaking up for the rest of the group.

"Damn it," Ed muttered. "I'm going to kill this bastard... Naraku."

---

Caroline fought against the cloth around her mouth. The ropes around her arms & legs were really starting to cut into her flesh. She tried to wriggle out of her kidnapper's arm, but his hold on her just kept getting stronger & stronger. For such a skinny person, he sure was strong... & fast.

Caroline turned her head, noticing a cliff with a very large gap. An unwanted whimper made it's way through the gag.

"Don't worry," the man said.

Caroline dug her face into his shoulders, & closed her eyes tightly, hoping that just for these few seconds he would _not_ let her go.

She finally remembered how to open her eyes again when she was set onto the ground. They didn't even jump. The man knelt down. Caroline's anger was all in her eyes, but there was a look of fear to them as well, for he noticed it as she managed to scoot backwards. He laughed.

"Don't worry, pipsqueak," he said, something about his voice giving her the creeps. "I'm not going to hurt you..._now_. My name's Envy." He reached towards her face, & the look of fear & defiance grew in her eyes as his hands got nearer. He began to reach around to untie the cloth. "Funny... I don't even have a reason to hurt you, & yet you consider me your enemy."

"Bastard," Caroline said coldly, as the cloth fell. "You kidnapped me. How are you _not_ my enemy?"

"It was my orders I kidnap you," Envy said.

"By who?" Caroline spat. "Naraku?"

"My, my, we _are_ smart," Envy said mockingly. "No wonder we passed the State Alchemist exam."

Caroline looked to the left, focusing her angry, guilty eyes to the ground.

"I'm going to kill him, if it's the last thing I do. If you work for him... you are my enemy. I won't kill you... unless I have to."

Envy groaned.

"You're too much like your brother."

"Got a problem with that?" Caroline retorted.

"You're the daughter of that bastard," he said coldly. "That's enough of a problem I have with any of you Elrics."

"Yeah well... I don't like him that much either..." she said.

"You committed Human Transmutation for him, didn't you?" Envy asked.

"Why do you hate us? Feeling _jealous_, Envy?" Caroline asked, smirking.

"Why you-"

"Stop trying to cause a scene, Envy."

Caroline watched as a beautiful woman stepped out of the trees, a rather large man following behind her, then of course, came the most familiar site to see.

"Hey, Forsaken one," Abandonment said, causing Caroline to twitch at the very sound of her voice.

"What do you all want with me?"

"Can I eat her, Lust?" the man asked, staring at Caroline as if she were a sirloin steak.

"Not now, Gluttony," Lust said, looking at her nails. "Naraku can decide that for you."

"I'm not going back to him!" Caroline yelled. "You can't make me!"

"Contrary to your claim, we can," Abandonment said, pulling at Caroline's bangs. "If your friends don't come soon enoug-"

"Leave her alone!"

All five of them looked up to see Ed running towards them, sword at the ready. He lunged at Abandonment, the homunculus dodging, only earning a gash at the cheek.

"So the Fullmetal Pipsqueak's here to fight, eh?" Envy asked, smirking.

"She's had enough trouble with the bunch of you," he said, skidding to a stop. "Why do you just keep making it worse?"

Ed clapped his hands, & several spikes came up out of the ground. One cut the ropes binding Caroline's arms, & the others struck where the homunculi had been standing.

"Thanks, Ed," Caroline said, smirking.

She jumped up, & of course, not thinking before acting...

"Gah!" she yelled, before she fell flat to her face on the ground.

"You idiot!" Jordan yelled.

Caroline looked up, hearing a familiar voice, & closed her eyes tightly as a snap was heard. A flare rushed past her feet, burning off the ropes.

Caroline got up, rubbing the back of her head nervously. She saw the others rush out of the forest, ready to fight.

While they took on the homunculi, Caroline looked around for Kagome.

"Kagome!" she yelled, running up to her.

"Uh... yeah, what is it?" she asked, looking taken aback as Caroline leaned up & began to whisper something.

---

Caroline pulled away from Kagome, looking down at the ground timidly.

"So... you have it?" Kagome asked.

She nodded.

"I... only managed to grab half of it though..." Caroline said. "That's the strongest grip I could get on it. I... haven't told anyone yet."

They stopped talking as they noticed poisonous wasps surround the area. They began to fly in Caroline's direction.

"Run!" Kagome yelled, grabbing the girl's hand & taking off.

"No way!" Caroline yelled, tearing loose. "Gimme your arrows!"

Kagome looked surprised.

"I said gimme your arrows," she ordered. "You run..." she said more softly now. "You're not safe here."

Kagome looked hesitant, but agreed. Caroline seemed confident in herself, & with the look of determination in her eyes, Kagome finally agreed.

She handed Caroline the bow & arrows, & took off into the forest.

---

Abandonment gazed to the right, keeping her focus on Edward's mind. At the moment, it looked as if the torture on his mind was working well enough. She smiled as she watched Kagome hand Caroline the arrows, & take off running into the forest.

'That must be the one Naraku wants... the jewel-finder...' She laughed inwardly as she watched Envy slip away unnoticed from the fight & into the forest. '& I do hope our dearest Forsaken one knows that those wasps were fed by red water.'

---

Kagome flopped down under a tree, trying to catch her breath. She had run as fast & as hard as she could.

"I hope Inuyasha & the others are okay..." she spoke aloud.

"Kagome!"

She shot up.

"Inuyasha?"

Sure enough, the half demon stood in front of her without a single scratch on him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, walking towards her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "What about you?"

"Never better..." he said. "Now come on, let's go. They're waiting on us."

Kagome blushed slightly as Inuyasha held out his hand, waiting for her to take it. She slowly put her hand in his, but then noticed something.

"Wait a minute..." her eyes widened. "You're not Inuyasha. Where are your prayer beads?"

His hand grabbed tighter onto hers as he gave a toothy smirk.

"Clumsy me..." he said.

---

"Die wench!" Inuyasha yelled. "Kaze no kizu!"

Lust writhed on the ground for a minute before she got back up.

"Wh... what are you?" Inuyasha asked, for he himself was horrified.

---

Caroline let another arrow fly, hitting a wasp right on target.

"It's a good thing I'm good at archery..." Caroline said, pulling back on the string, just before she felt a horrid pain in her right shoulder.

---

"Inuyasha!" Inuyasha turned around as the fight was coming to an end with all.

"Kagome?" he asked aloud.

Suddenly with an amazing speed, Envy shot out of the forest, Kagome in his arms.

"Kagome!" he yelled.

"Inuyasha! Help!" she reached back for him.

Inuyasha ran, but stopped as he saw the boy leap across the cliff with Kagome as if it were nothing.

Abandonment, Lust, & Gluttony followed. Ed was finally able to get up, & watched as Inuyasha ran to follow after them, but stood there for a minute, horrified, then shot back.

"What the-"

"It's a barrier," Abandonment said from the other side. "Try to break through it & your worst fears & memories come to you. If you stand there too long," she smirked. "It will literally _kill_ you."

With that, she gave a little wave, & took off after the homunculi into the other forest.

Inuyasha fell to his knees, clenching the grass in anger.

"Damn it..." he muttered. "Kagome..."

Just then, a scream was heard.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: oooh... maybe I should start posting just ONE chapter & leave the cliff hanger there... that would b nice wouldnt it? mwahahaha!


	55. How Long Is My Path?

Caroline: aftr reading this u better review ppl.

* * *

Chapter 55: How Long Is My Path?

"Caroline!" Ed screamed, running to his sister's side.

She looked up, her eyes narrowed from pain.

"What happened?" he asked, kneeling beside her as the rest began to surround her.

"I... think I got stung... by one of those wasps..." she said, her voice showing pain.

Ed slipped off the right side of her coat & under jacket, then looked at the backside of her shoulder.

There was a small puncture, & the area around it was a little pink, slightly puffed up.

"Yeah, it looks like a sting alright..." Ed muttered.

"That's not good," Miroku said. "Those were poisonous wasps."

"Poisonous!" Ed yelled.

"Actually... it doesn't hurt that bad anymore..." Caroline said, blinking several times.

"You're kidding," Sango said.

"No, really," Caroline said. "It only actually hurt when I got stung. It doesn't hurt much now."

"Those wasps did look a little different, you know," Kohaku said, looking up at his sister.

"I guess..." Miroku said. "We'll just have to keep our guard up then. We leave first thing in the morning on our quest."

"You know what that means," Roy said, looking at Caroline as she began to pull up the sleeves again.

She blinked confusedly.

"You'll have to tell us if you feel sick... at _any_ time."

"No problem," Caroline said, giving a warm little small, finally feeling as if she were a part of the team again.

---

Jordan opened her eyes, awaking from a bad dream. She rolled over, & noticed not more than a few feet away, Caroline was sitting there, her arms resting below her head. She was smiling as she stared up at the stars.

"Feeling sick?" she asked Caroline.

Caroline looked a little surprised, the voice breaking the silence. She smiled her toothy smile.

"Actually I feel better than before I got stung..." she said.

Jordan gave her a little smile back.

"Whatcha thinkin about?" she asked.

Caroline shrugged.

"Just the future..." she said. "I guess I'm kinda confused about it."

Jordan looked lost. Caroline gave a little laugh.

"It's funny. I'm smart enough to be top-rate alchemists, read the most complex alchemy books, but I haven't ever been able to understand life itself."

Caroline looked over, giving Jordan the saddest, most lost look she had ever given her.

"Why can't I understand it?" she asked.

Jordan gave her a small smile.

"No one can understand it, Ekai," she said. "It's just the way the world works."

Caroline still had the same look on her face.

"But then why do we live it?" she asked. "Why are we here?"

"Well I guess..." Jordan said. "We're here for the adventure of it. No one's path is the same. Some are tougher, some are easier. Some are longer, & some are shorter."

Caroline looked as if she understood it a little more now, but still looked unsatisfied.

"How... long do you think my path is, Jordan?"

Jordan looked surprised. She stared at the girl who looked up at the stars with a sad look.

"I don't know..." she finally answered. "I'm not even sure how long mine is, to be truthful. The thing that keeps me goin though..." she thought. "Is that... I gotta be brave enough to lead my own path & not let someone take it over. I gotta get stronger. What... keeps you going, Caroline?"

The girl kept a sad look on her face as she thought.

"I... I want to be someone."

Jordan looked confused as a tear fell down Caroline's face.

"I don't wanna be looked down on anymore. I'm sick of being used, picked on, & I'm sick of letting others down. I wanna be someone important. Someone that's brave, & strong, & loyal. I just wanna be _somebody_."

Jordan smiled, & playfully punched Caroline in the arm.

"You idiot," she said as Caroline looked over, looked confused & innocent. "You're already all those things. You don't have to push yourself over the limit to be someone you already are."

Caroline stared, & her lower lip trembled as more tears fell down her face. She smiled toothily again.

"Thank you..." she said. "Aneue..."

Jordan smiled.

"No problem," she said. "Just get some rest, Ekai. We have a long journey tomorrow."

Caroline nodded, & rolled over.

"Aneue?" she asked one last time as Jordan began to close her eyes.

"Yeah?" she asked a few minutes later.

"If I ever fall on my path, will... will you help me up?"

Caroline sat there several minutes, hoping for a reply. She closed her eyes, feeling discouraged, when she heard her answer.

"As long as you'll do the same."

Caroline smiled, & closed her eyes.

---

The girl forced herself onward, staring at the ground.

_Feeling a bit dizzy now_

She couldn't understand why she was feeling this way. She had felt fine yesterday after she had gotten stung. Even once she woke up, she was feeling great. But she was beginning to feel feverish. A bit of sweat was on her forehead. But… they were walking in a forest, for crying out loud! It was the humidity for sure.

_You only have what time allows_

"You hear that?"

Everyone turned to look at the laggard.

"Hear what?" Ed asked.

"Those voices," Caroline said. Everyone looked a bit confused. The girl didn't know why. She heard voices. She heard them clear as day. She knew it.

"Look," Inuyasha said, impatiently. "That's the _third _time you've asked us that today. What'll it be next? Look, Naraku's behind us," he said, doing a very bad imitation of Caroline.

"Give her a break, Inuyasha," Miroku said.

"Hmph," the hanyou answered. "We can't afford a break when that bastard's got his hands on Kagome."

"Do you need to rest?" Sango asked kindly.

_For you resting means moving on instead_

The girl shook her head, looking confused.

"Just tell us if you need anything," Jordan said.

She nodded quietly.

Why was _she_ the only one who could hear it?

_Be careful or you'll wind up dead_

Ah, well, it had to be her imagination… right?

_Pain begins, your head starts to ache_

She kept walking, but as she did, her head began to hurt. & it wasn't just any old headache. This one hurt _big_ time. She was beginning to think she was sick, but if she was sick, she would've reacted faster of course.

"Caroline?"

"Huh?" the girl said quietly, looking up. She was still the one closest to the back of the group.

"You okay?"

She looked at her brother. He was smiling.

"Uhh…" she tried to answer.

"Don't lie if you're feeling bad," his countenance turned concerned. "We can stop if you need to."

"I'm feeling-"

_Watch out, girl, you're gonna break_

Suddenly in her mind, it was like she was surrounded by darkness. A hand over her mouth, & she couldn't speak.

"What?" Ed asked.

'I'm-' the girl managed, her voice muffled.

"I'm fine, really," the girl said smiling.

_Living on words that you've said_

Ed looked content, & turned away.

The girl had managed to speak. But it wasn't what she wanted to say… right?

Of course it was! She wanted Ed to think she was fine. Not that she wasn't or anything. No, she wouldn't be weak. She wouldn't stop the whole group just to take a little nap or to take some medicine.

_But at some point, you'll fall dead_

The girl was getting annoyed of hearing these voices in her head. These children couldn't keep singing for much longer, right? & why were they singing this weird song anyways?

_It's getting harder to move on_

It wasn't but a bit later, the girl's arms began to ache. Actually, everything began to ache. Her head. He lungs. Her arms. Her legs. & her mind was in complete torment.

_When all your strength's used up & gone_

Her vision kept switching oddly enough. It would switch from seeing the backs of her friends, to looking up at the smirking faces of Naraku & the others he had with him, & sometimes a reddish tint would interfere.

_But it feels as if you're pushing lead_

However as the girl struggled to at least stay up with the group, her mind was having a struggle of its own. In that, almost as if a dream was playing as she was awake, she was running. Running where, she did not know, for all she saw was empty black around her. She was panting, scared, frightened of something chasing her. Suddenly though a hand reached up out of the darkness. It wrapped around her mouth.

Her vision switched to show the backs of the others.

_Push too hard, you'll wind up dead_

She tried to scream for them as two other hands reached up & wrapped around her wrists. She was brought to her knees, trying to scream for the others.

_You feel broken, yet it's more than it seems_

She stopped walking. She couldn't move any further. She was much too dizzy, light-headed to move onward. She fell to her knees in the grass. The pain was too much to bear anymore.

"Caroline?"

_You double over, but you cannot scream_

At least that's what she thought she heard. She was so confused. She wanted to cry. But… she couldn't. Something held her back. Not pride. Not bravery. She didn't even know.

_Your eyes are blurring, & you see in red_

As two more hands reached up & held her down by her legs, she realized one thing.

_You know that tomorrow you'll be dead_

She was going insane. Completely insane. She was losing it. But she realized another thing as instead of the happy, smiling faces of her teammates came the smirking, sure-to-bring-torture faces of her enemies…

_Your time is up, take one last breath_

She could do nothing about it. With that, as she looked up slowly one last time to see the worried faces of her friends…

_Look at the faces that will see your death_

She heard the laughter of those who had beaten her.

_Your mouth can't open, you cannot cry_

She struggled. She tried to scream. Cry out.

_You cannot scream_

But finally, the girl who never sobbed cried. The girl who was never scared was terrified. & the girl who never gave in gave up.

_It's time_

She squeezed her eyes shut.

_To die_

& that moment, she fell to the grass.

To be continued...


	56. One You Could Learn From

Caroline: wut a perfect time 2 upd8! ive got 2day, 2morro, possibly wednesday off becuz guess who has the flu! yea well... -- i cant play my soccer games or go 2 practice (THANK JESUS, MARY, & THE OTHER GUY- NO PRACTICE 4 A WEEK!) well my weekend (b4 i got sick) consistd of a full Jordan & Caroline marathon! Jordan came ovr friday aftr i met up w/ the team & we did... nothing... there was nothing 2 do. o well... we ate an entire box of cheezits! & satrday her mom pickd us up (mom said i couldnt spend the nite tho) & we went 2 her brothrs game, cheeburger cheeburger, books a million, & petsmart, & then DUN DUN DUN DUHHH- we went 2 her house & swordfought, fist fought, ate popcorn, & watchd naruto & one piece... thn my brothr pickd me up... & thn i got sick... sigh... wut a gr8 weekend...

* * *

Chapter 56: One You Could Learn From

"Caroline, wake up!" Ed yelled, shaking her arm. "Wake up!"

"Fullmetal, move out of the way," Roy ordered. "We have to get her to safety as soon as possible. We can't do that with you hovering over her."

Ed's eyes flashed like fire.

"What's that supposed to mean!" he yelled. "She's not _you_r sister!"

"I said _move out of the way_, Fullmetal," Roy said more sharply.

Ed gave a glare of death towards the man, but complied, standing up & moving a few steps back.

Roy picked up the girl & put her onto his back.

"Let's go," he said.

"Wait," Sango said. "How about Kirara & I take her to Kaede's hut? That way she'll get there faster, & get better medicine."

Roy thought for a minute, then nodded.

"We'll meet up with you there."

---

Ed looked down at the ground.

'Damn it all...' he thought. 'Why must she live this way? Only to get knocked back down? It isn't fair... None of it. What did she do to deserve this?'

"Fullmetal."

Ed looked up, broken away from his thoughts.

"What's wrong?" Roy asked.

"You wouldn't understand," Ed said, deciding not to tell him what was really up.

"How do you know that?" Roy asked, half teasing, half serious.

Ed ignored him. Suddenly, Roy began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Ed asked, glaring.

"Oh nothing," Roy said, smiling to himself. "There was this one time she was sick."

"That's not funny!" Ed yelled defensively.

"Of course it's not," Roy said. "It was just her attitude towards the whole thing. You see..."

_Caroline ran into the house, slamming the door shut._

"_It's about time you're home!" Roy scolded. "I waited around at headquarters an extra hour for you. Honestly do you think-"_

_That's when Roy noticed she was crying._

"_Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, walking up & kneeling down in front of her._

_He looked at her. Her cheeks were scratched up, one of her knees was bruised, & her knuckles were red & beginning to swell. One explanation- she had been in another fight._

"_Are you alright?" Roy asked, wiping a tear from her face._

_Caroline sniffed._

"_Why do they bully me, Roy-chan?" she asked. "Why do they always call me such mean things?"_

_Roy looked at the four year old, wondering to himself what she did to deserve this._

"_Well..." he said slowly. "Sometimes... humans bring down others... because... they're jealous. Sometimes they just want to be as lucky as the one they're making fun of..."_

_Caroline sniffed again, & looked up, silenced for a second._

"_Why... would they want to be me?" she asked, her brown eyes wide & questioning._

"_Because," Roy said. "You're a great kid. You're brave, & smart, & kind, & you never give up. So next time, don't give up, okay?"_

_Caroline stared at him for a minute, then buried her head into his shoulders, & cried. Roy was just beginning to realize that the girl had been running around without a coat when she sneezed._

_---_

"_Yep, you're definitely sick," Roy said, taking a hand off from her head._

"_But I need to go back to school," Caroline argued. "I gotta beat up those bullies."_

"_Not today, you don't," Roy said._

"_I'm going to school, like it or not," Caroline proclaimed. _

_Caroline only managed to make it to the drawer, pull on a green sweatshirt & brown shorts before she passed out._

_---_

"_You're staying home," Roy said. "Fortunately I'm able to take the day off so I can make sure you don't go through another feat like that."_

"_No..." Caroline said disappointedly. "Go to work. You can't cook."_

_Roy sighed, trying to ignore the fact that his ego just got killed._

"_Don't worry yourself," Roy said. "Jordan's staying home too."_

_Caroline pouted, thrusting her lower lip out cutely as a sign of being defeated. Roy began to laugh._

"_What's so funny?" she asked suspiciously._

"_Why do you always insist on playing around in the cold?" he asked._

"_Shut up," she said._

_Roy continued to chuckle to himself._

"_You know..." Caroline said after a minute. "They're all wrong."_

"_Who's wrong?" Roy asked._

"_They are," she said. "All the people who say an apple a day keeps the doctor away."_

"_What doctor?" Roy asked. "Why are they wrong?"_

"_Well basically, you're my doctor," she said. "I've eaten an apple a day for the past month, & you're not gone yet!"_

"_Caroline, I'm not going to leave you or Jordan here," Roy said nervously._

"_Exactly!" Caroline said, her voice rising. "Why aren't you gone yet!"_

"_Don't raise your voice, Caroline," Roy said. "You'll just hurt yourself further."_

"_I will not lower my voice!" she yelled. "Not for you! Not for anyone!"_

"_Why not?" Roy asked, his own voice beginning to rise from annoyance._

"_You told me not to hold back anymore!" she yelled, pointing a finger at him._

_Roy's eyes twitched._

"She wasn't well enough to go to preschool for a week," Roy said.

Ed laughed at the older man's story.

"What's your point, Colonel?" he asked.

"The point is..." Roy said. "Had she just let me take care of her in the first place... she might have gotten better faster."

Ed looked forwards.

"Sometimes I believe you could learn from her, Fullmetal."

Ed looked back at his superior quickly, confused with the last statement.

"Maybe if you just listened to someone every once & a while, you'd be better off."

Ed opened his mouth to say something, but then realized a familiar sight.

"We're here," Miroku said as the group edged their way out of the forest.

---

Ed's fists shook, his eyes wide & fearful as his mind replayed what Sango just said.

"Wh-what do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean... her pulse has been slowing down ever since we've been here... & her fever's been rising as well..." she said, putting another cloth onto the girl's forehead. "If it keeps going at this rate..."

She gulped.

"She might die."

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: CLiFFHaNGEr! r&r!


	57. Survivor?

Caroline: GOMEN-SAI! between the last update & now i have been entirely 2 busy 4 my own good! wut with the flu & my bday & the bahamas & 2 of my best friends d8ng each othr & an enormous amount of soccr games-

Jordan: in which a shrimp was crushed by an elephant.

Caroline: yea she made me do a flip... waitaminute HEY!

Jordan: well since ur 2 slo 2 announce it... heres chapter 57

* * *

Chapter 57: Survivor?

"Good lord," Roy said, his hand shooting back.

"What is it?" Ed asked quickly.

"Sango was right about her fever. Her temperature is increasing rapidly. An hour ago it was about 102... now it's around 105 or 106."

"But how can she... what are we..." Ed allowed himself to breathe again so he could say something that made sense. "A human can't live with 110 degrees, correct?"

"Most can't," Roy said. "I'm sure there is only a handful in the world that can, but they couldn't sustain it or a higher temperature for long."

Ed looked down to the ground, biting his lip & trying to think.

"How does she look?" Kaede asked upon entering the hut, Kohaku following with many plants & herbs in his arms.

"She's not awake yet," Miroku explained. "It's been over a day, & she just seems to be getting worse & worse."

Ed's fists shook as he heard those words.

Kaede nodded.

"It's beginning to get dark," she said quietly. "May I ask that all of you, excluding you, monk, leave. We must pray for her spirit incase it passes during the night," she informed, looking at Ed for a moment.

Inuyasha nodded in acknowledgement, & led them all out of the room.

"Hey, shrimp," he said, trying to gain Ed's attention.

Ed stood for a moment, his fists shaking. Then, in a moment, he took off running past the others & into the forest with intense speed.

"Where is he going?" Jordan asked, hesitant with whether to follow him or not.

Roy stepped forward.

"All of you stay here," he said. "Even if something happens... don't follow me."

Roy took off after the blonde & into the forest.

---

Tears flew from Ed's cheeks as he ran deeper & deeper into the forest. Suddenly, a short burst of pain erupted in his forehead, causing him to trip.

He lay in the grass, crying his heart out, & feeling absolutely worthless, as something much like a nightmare entered his mind

"_Why can't you save me, nii-san?" a voice called from the darkness._

"_Caroline..." he said, running towards his sister as she stood there, looking at him with heartbroken, innocent eyes._

"_Why? Are you not smart enough?"_

"_It's... it's not that..." No matter how hard Ed ran, it seemed he would never get closer._

"_Don't you want me to live?"_

"_Yes! Yes, of course I want you to live! I'd do anything... it's just..."_

"_You're... you're just not good enough, I guess..." she said, looking drained of all hope as she turned away, her coat flying behind her as she began to slowly walk off._

"_Caroline?" he asked, a bit hesitant as he ran faster. "Caroline!"_

_The darkness quickly consumed him as he heard her scream._

Ed looked up, his sobbing paused for a moment.

"I'm not good enough..." he said.

Slowly, he stood up, his body shaking. He began to clap his hands together, his movements still slow, & when he pulled them apart, his right arm was a blade. He stared at it for a moment, then a bit more quickly, he held it at his own throat.

He thought for a few more minutes, before biting his lip as a few tears began to roll down his face.

"Well... this is... it..." he said quietly.

"No you don't!"

Before Ed could turn around, he found himself pinned to the ground.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Fullmetal? You had us all worried sick!"

"Maybe if you kept your nose in your own business, you wouldn't have to deal with mine," Ed retorted. "Now get off me before I have to hurt you!"

"This isn't the way to handle it!" Roy yelled in a voice Ed had never heard before from him- a mixture of hurt & anger.

"How would you know?" Ed growled.

"Trust me, Fullmetal," he said. "I've told you that for years now."

"Not a good enough reason," Ed said through clenched teeth as he tried to push the man off of him.

"Think about Al!" Roy yelled, thinking quickly. "What's he supposed to do? How am I supposed to tell him what happened to his sister, & how his brother reacted?"

Ed thought for a few minutes, feeling guilty that he hadn't even given his brother one single thought. Slowly, Ed's blade receded, & as he sat up, Roy offered him a hand.

---

"In the name of Buddha... amen," Kaede & Miroku said in unison, ending the prayers & chants.

Miroku looked sad as he opened his eyes, looking at Caroline's face. He put a hand on her forehead, & prayed to himself silently. Suddenly, he heard something.

His eyes flashed opened in time to see Caroline's mouth open to take one short, deep breath. Tears formed at the rim of his eyes when her head turned towards him, her dark brown eyes halfway open. She smiled a peaceful smile as she looked at him.

"Hey..." she said quietly.

---

All was quiet in the small little clearing around Kaede's house that led towards the forest. Sango & Kohaku sat on a log, trying to comfort Jordan, silent tears running from her light blue eyes.

"It'll be alright," Kohaku said. "She'll make it through."

Jordan tried to nod, but realized she couldn't, because by the looks of it, Caroline wasn't going to make it.

Slowly, tears began to run down Sango's face as well, causing Kohaku to cry watching the two.

"Found him..."

All looked up, Inuyasha looking over from by the nearest tree.

"Edward... where were you?" Jordan asked, her eyes larger in sadness.

He tried his best to smile, & rubbed the back of his neck.

"Things got a little crazy so... I just had to think..." he said, but looking at all of their faces made Ed's eyes begin to water.

"Why are you all crying?"

All looked to the voice. Miroku stood there, tears running down his own cheeks, ironically. They all noticed in his arms he was holding a curled-up Caroline, which was where the voice came from. She looked the same way she looked at Miroku earlier.

"I'm not dead yet."

Ed stared in disbelief for a moment before smiling, unable to hold back his tears any longer.

To be continued...

* * *

Jordan: review bitches...

Caroline: hey this aint ur fic! & im posting anothr chaptr thankuverymuch!


	58. Well Again?

Caroline: ha! i have managed 2 gain my fic back! haha in ur face jordan!

Jordan: not... dead yet...

Caroline: stop mocking me!

* * *

Chapter 58: Well Again?

The nine sat in silence within the hut, staring in disbelief at Caroline. Her hair was still down, surprisingly, & she was still in clothes much like Kaede's. Caroline was moving as fast as ever with the chopsticks, so fast that hardly anyone else had gotten even a bite.

"So um... are you sure you're feeling alright?" Miroku asked.

"Yep!" Caroline managed, between bites of random sorts of food, as she reached for yet _another_ cup of Ramen. "Better than ever," she said, as she slurped up the noodles.

"Caroline," Jordan said. "No offense, but... this feast wasn't _entirely_ for you."

A breeze blew through the windows as Caroline paused for a moment, as if all time was stopped. She suddenly laughed, & returned to her movements.

"Haha!" she exclaimed. "Good one! April Fools!"

"But its May," Jordan said quietly as Caroline began once more.

Soon enough, Caroline was asleep, at least twenty empty cups of Ramen, fourteen fish bones, eleven crusts from alchemy-made bread, hundreds of pieces of rice, & random pieces of other food surrounding her.

The others were just beginning to eat what was left, grateful that alchemy had provided them to make more of it. Roy went over to put a blanket over the sleeping child. He stared at her for a moment, then knelt down to feel her forehead. Caroline, as alive as ever, quickly grabbed his hand in surprise, the automail digging into his skin slightly. Her grip relaxed, though, once she recognized him.

"Feeling okay?" he asked quietly, smiling warmly at her.

She smiled, then nodded.

"My shoulder hurts a little," she said. "Not as bad as when it got stung, though. My head hurts too, but it's cause my fever's starting to fade, right?"

"Yes. That's probably right," Roy said, spying a bucket of cold water, & pulling it over to them. He sat it in front of Caroline. "Drink as much as you can of this, alright?"

Caroline sat up a little, & struggled to pick it up, but felt it easier a few seconds later. As she lowered the bucket from her lips, she noticed Roy's hands helping her. She smiled, & nodded in thanks once the bucket was back on the ground, yawning soon after.

Roy chuckled a little before messing up her hair.

"Good night, kid. Get some rest."

---

Ed awoke at the sound of wooden sandals running across the floor.

"What the-" he asked. "Caroline?"

"He saw her by the door, pulling on her boots, & tightening the strap on them.

"What are you doing?" he asked. "It's past midnight."

"I saw her..." Caroline said, her voice louder & sharper than usual.

"Saw who?" he asked. "You can't do this now," he said. "You just woke up tonight. You're not well en-"

She ran out , her green coat flying behind her.

---

Caroline ran into a clearing, looking around everywhere.

"Where are you?" she yelled, her fists clenched by her side. "Come out here & fight me, you coward!"

"It seems to me as if you're the coward, girl."

Caroline spun around, ready to fight. Out of the darkness slowly came Abandonment, arms crossed behind her back, her eyes having the same cruel glint as always.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Caroline yelled. "I'm not the one who ran away!"

Abandonment began laughing loudly.

"What are you laughing at? What's so funny!" Caroline yelled again.

"I disagree. If you actually _thought out_ your choices _maybe_ you'd realize you've run away far more many times than you think you have."

Caroline's teeth were gritted, as her head lowered only slightly, her eyes still focused on the girl waiting for an answer.

"Think about all the times you were teased when you were younger... remember those? Bigger kids beat you up didn't they? & what did you do?"

"I fought back at one point!" Caroline yelled defensively.

"True, true. You were younger, & needed time to learn, right? Learn not to run away, crying, right? That's what 'Roy-san' taught you, isn't it? Well, you had that time, & you know what? You never learned." The girl smirked. "_Never._ Instead, when you found something that tore you apart, you ran... not to your Colonel... not to your 'sister'... to your father. & you know what, kid? You were supposed to learn the hard way... but you didn't listen, did you?"

"Shut up..." Caroline said, looking down, fists shaking at the mention of her greatest sin.

"No. Instead you ran away once again, & abandoned the most important people in your life..."

"Shut up..." she said again, her voice cracking, her eyes trying to fight back warm tears.

"Abandonment, hm?" the girl said thoughtfully. "What a great name for your own sin. You say you hate your father. Well, if you do why do you run back to him so much, huh? You & him sure seem to have a great deal in common... considering" the girl began to pause between every word as she lowered her voice "you both abandoned your own family & didn't even care."

"I said... shut up..."

Abandonment took a step backwards from the mere tone of Caroline's voice. It sounded almost... inhuman...

A strong breeze picked up slowly, & Caroline ripped off her coat & under jacket, & threw it to the side. Abandonment stood as the silence grew for a moment. As soon as the breeze lost its strength, Caroline's head flashed up suddenly.

Her face matched her voice exactly. It didn't look a thing like the same girl Abandonment watched laugh & joke around. It looked like a girl ready to kill anyone & anything in her path. Abandonment actually flinched as she saw that Caroline's normal fiery amber eyes weren't the same... now they were blood-red & those of a killer. On her flesh hand, her bitten nails had grown out to claws, & her teeth looked only a bit sharper.

This was not Caroline Elric. This was a monster.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: review or else!


	59. No Longer Human

Caroline: ok i shall giv u all an easter present- 3 chapters in 1 day... so... yea... yawn... im very tired 2day... me & my best friend (othr than jordi ) were gonna watch Sweet Home Alabama (o yea- & u kno the ribbons & banners & trophies from beauty pageants in Reese Witherspoon's room in ther? those were all my sisters- isnt that cool? Sigh... im SO southern... --) cuz Jordi, my bf, & her all threw me a bday party yesterday sinz my parents already hadnt & so... yea... well jordi couldnt spend the nite w/ us so it was just me & meghan (thats her name k? k.) & we never evn WATCHD the movie... we just talkd about our troublesum boyfriends... which reminds me...

JORDI WORE MAKEUP!

not much... just my eyeliner & eyeshadow but OMG- jordi- u lookd GoRgEoUs! U HAV 2 wear makeup sinz like... the best part of u is ur eyes & like... makeup made them like A MILLION times prettier! by the way... whn i get on facebook im makin a group calld Jordan Has To Wear Makeup... or somethin along those lines...

o yea... & if anyone out ther has a facebook... ill b ur friend... just search Caroline Mitchell or sumthn...

* * *

Chapter 59: No Longer Human 

"Your anger's taken over you, I see," Abandonment muttered, stepping back.

Not even a millisecond after she finished, Caroline lunged at an inhuman speed towards Abandonment. It all happened at the speed of sound, & although Abandonment dodged, she didn't feel the gash in her arm until warm blood oozed out. She grasped her right arm, & smirked. She also noticed that as Abandonment lost blood, three blood red scars began to appear on each side of Caroline's face.

"You're fighting better than ever," she said. "I'm actually impressed that you managed to hurt me. It's been a while since I've felt pain."

She heard Caroline's breathing deeply in rage, but watched as the girl slowly looked at her flesh hand, confused, & saw the blood on her hands, as well as the changes they had gone through.

"Confused, Forsaken one?" Abandonment asked in all seriousness.

Caroline looked up quickly, her expression changing back from confusion to rage, but not attacking, just looking to Abandonment for an answer.

"Remember Naraku's poisonous wasps that stung you?" she asked. "They were fed with red water from the last Philosopher's Stone. Red water, incase you don't already know, is very poisonous, & if swallowed or breathed into the human body, it will kill them very quickly. However, if injected, it will kill most even quicker, but make their suffering seem like eternity. No human can survive it, whichever way taken into the body."

A small breeze swept through.

"However, as we both know, you somehow managed to survive it. Also, we know that the Philosopher's Stone possesses powers beyond any human's comprehension. If taken into the body, & you survived, it does indeed give you inhuman abilities."

Caroline looked again at her right hand, confused. She stared for a long amount of time it seemed, her inner spirit trying to break free of this demonic nature. But all thoughts of that were lost as her left arm was suddenly grabbed, & with her caught off-guard, her body was swung around into a tree.

The brunette growled as she tried to catch her breath, she saw Abandonment standing where she had been just moments earlier, smirking pridefully.

"Don't turn your back on an enemy, girl," she said, reaching a finger in Caroline's direction, forcing her to remember the first time Jordan told her that, as an echo to what her opponent just said.

Caroline growled, & stood up, but had a moment's disadvantage to Abandonment, because of her last flashback. The brunette was pinned down in a second, & she immediately began to thrash wildly & as quickly as any animal, but with an even quicker amount of speed, Abandonment shot her other arm to the back of Caroline's right shoulder, stopping Caroline's attempts immediately.

"& what would happen if I were to touch this?" she asked tauntingly, as her fingers grazed over the back of Caroline's shoulder blades.

Caroline knew well enough by the tone of Abandonment's voice that this thing was something bad. Her fingers traced a circle around the back of her shoulders as the silence was fed. Suddenly, Abandonment pressed hard on one certain spot, leaving the girl trying not to scream, & instead making her claws dig deep into the ground.

Caroline let out short, ragged breaths once it was all over, realizing by the coppery taste in her mouth, that she had bitten her lower lip so hard that it had begun to bleed.

"So you are," Abandonment said, sitting up, but still making sure that the girl was helpless underneath her by setting her feet on the girl's hands.

Caroline made her eyes focus onto her, the rage beginning to rise to its maximum again, but Caroline tried to save it up for when she needed it. Right now she at least had free of enough mind to know she needed an explanation.

"Taking the Philosopher's Stone into you made you only half human," she explained. "The other half of you is pure homunculi. The only reason you're so strong, however, is because one- you can't control yourself, & are hardly even in your own mind, & two- also taking the poison of pure demon wasps into you gives you a great amount of demonic power. So, of course, your life will never be the same again, although I'm sure you heard that before, & eventually, the new blood flowing in your veins will probably take over your entire body, leaving you entirely helpless to your own mind & that, Forsaken One, will probably kill you."

Caroline growled, & using most of her strength, managed to pull her hands out from under the girl's feet, & pinned Abandonment to the ground, her breathing heavy with rage again. She screamed in fury as she clapped her hands together, forming a sword out of her automail arm, holding it at Abandonment's neck.

Abandonment stared at the monster above her. She felt the blade shaking slightly, & she smirked.

"Trying to scare me, kid?" she asked. "I know you can't kill me. I've looked into your mind, watched you too many times to know that you can't kill... it's not in your blood."

However, Abandonment realized she was wrong as the blade pierced through the skin of her neck, stabbing through the entire flesh. Before she could restore herself, however, she felt the blade through her chest, her shoulder, more than a dozen places, but as Abandonment took the pain in, she noticed something else.

Caroline's stabbings got slower & slower, & her claws receded back into her normal, bitten nails. The blood-red scars on her face were becoming normal flesh, & her eyes were deepening into a chocolate-like color. Her bloodthirsty, demonic, rage-driven face was becoming softer, more childish, & more human. As she began to return to her normal state, her eyes were drooping, her mouth open just a bit, giving her a tired & confused expression, as if all energy had been taken from her. Finally when her stabs were as slow as they could get, Caroline pulled her blood-covered blade out of Abandonment, & slowly clapped her hands together, & just as the blade had fully withdrawn back into her automail, she fell forward.

Abandonment looked at the girl on top of her. The demon that had just stabbed her repeatedly, trying to kill her, was now fully unconscious, her golden-brown hair getting soaked by the blood from Abandonment's chest. When her restoration was complete she removed the girl fast asleep from her body, & placed her on the grass, then stood up, staring at her for just a moment.

"Hey!"

She looked up. Ed stood at the edge of the clearing, panting.

"Where's-" he stopped, seeing the girl on the ground. "You were going to kill her, weren't you?" he asked.

Abandonment blinked, staring in the boy's direction indifferently as he accused her. Finally, she sighed.

"I didn't do anything to her," she said finally. "I didn't intend on it either... not right now."

She finally turned around, & began walking off.

"I wouldn't dare dishonor myself by attacking when one's in that state."

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: onward 2 the next chaptr! 


	60. Beautiful Disaster

Caroline: chapter 60 already... geez maybe ill make it up to like... chaptr 100 or sumthn... --

* * *

Chapter 60: Beautiful Disaster 

"Wait a minute... you mean you went full demon?" Inuyasha asked.

"Uh... yeah... I guess," Caroline said, shoving her rice around in a bowl, having hardly eaten any of it.

"So... what are those marks on your face?" Jordan asked. "You never told us."

"Oh, these?" Caroline asked, placing her bowl in her lap as she scratched her cheek thoughtfully. "Well, I don't think their permanent, but I guess whenever blood from the enemy is spilt, they appear. When I'm in that form, of course."

Jordan nodded as Caroline smiled for a moment, then continued to twirl her chopsticks around in her bowl.

"Let me see your shoulder," Ed suddenly, breaking from his thoughts.

"What?" Caroline asked, her head shooting up.

Before he answered, Ed had walked around to the back of her, & looked under the strap of her tank top.

"Yep," he said after studying it for a few minutes. "It's the mark of the Homunculus."

Caroline sat down her bowl.

"Yeah," she said. "She wasn't joking, was she?"

"Nope," Ed replied. "I'm afraid not."

He stood up, rubbing his right fist.

"I swear I'm going to kill each & every one of them," he said. "If it's the last thing I do."

Caroline looked at her brother from over her shoulder, before turning back around & pushing the bowl away, obviously not hungry.

"Miroku. Colonel," Edward said. "Let's go. Caroline, you come too... & eat that. You need something in your stomach before the day begins."

---

It was early in the morning, but still dark. Caroline ambled behind the guys, still wearing her black pants & tank top, her hands held together behind her back. She smiled, & looked around the forest curiously, even if there wasn't much out yet.

She ran into the back of Roy, & noticed that they had stopped, & that she had obviously not been paying attention. She saw that they had all stopped in a clearing she had never seen before. She suddenly felt herself being pushed forward, & not too softly either. She stumbled forward awkwardly, but didn't fall to the ground.

"Hey!" she yelled, trying to regain her balance. "What was that for? What's up with you guys?"

The three had serious, almost grim looks on their faces.

"Lay down, Caroline," Roy suddenly ordered.

"What the-" she began. "What are you-"

"I said lay down," he barked once more.

Caroline knew he meant it this time. She blinked a few times before sighing, & lying down on the ground, propping herself up by her elbows.

"There," she said a bit unpleasantly. "Happy?"

"Not quite," Miroku said. "I know what you're wondering what we're going to do, but let me ask you something. We all know you're a very strong girl, Caroline, but whatever happens, do you believe you can handle it?"

Caroline stared for a minute, then thought hard before nodding her head a few moments later.

"Alright then," he said. "What we're trying to do is get you rid of whatever monster's inside of you."

"How are you going to do that?" Caroline asked, looking somewhat interested in the idea.

"Well, that's why you have us here," Ed answered. "Miroku can try varied types of purification & exorcism. I can use different types of alchemy, of course, & I'm sure the Taisa has some tricks up his sleeve... maybe some more advanced alchemy."

Caroline stared for another moment, her mouth slightly open now.

"Look," Roy said. "If you're not up to it, you don't have to say you are."

Caroline thought hard again, & then looked up, her fiery eyes sparkling with determination.

"I'm up to it."

"It will cause pain, no doubt," Miroku said.

"I said I'm up to it, alright?" Caroline snapped loudly. She lowered her voice as her eyes looked to the ground. "I won't go back on what I've already said. I'm sure it'll be a rough day, but if there's any way... _any way_ that I have a chance of getting rid of this thing inside of me, I'll take it." She looked up, her eyes looking sad & forlorn, a lost look within them. "I-I'm... scared to go back to that form... I don't like what it did to me. I don't want to be that sort of person... I... hated myself then... & everyone else too..." She lifted a finger. "Even you, Ed."

Ed looked surprised for a minute, then determined.

"Then let's get it over with."

---

A scream filled the air.

Caroline panted, her fingers digging into the grass as some sort of sacred paper burned onto her shoulder. Miroku stood up, closing his eyes & turning away.

"I'm sorry, Ed," he said. "But it looks as if we've all tried everything."

He didn't answer. Roy uncrossed his arms & walked over to Caroline, who was unconscious. The marks on her face had faded once the sun had risen, but even while she was asleep, she still looked troubled. He rubbed her cheek.

"Beautiful disaster, aren't ya, kid?" he asked quietly, before looking at his pocket watch. 11:00. "Ed, we've been at this for at least 6 hours now. It's probably best we just take her back to the village. She needs sleep... lots of it."

Ed nodded slowly.

"Yeah," he finally answered.

---

As they walked back to the village, all was quiet. No one said anything, or heard anything for that matter... except for one thing.

It was when Caroline stirred for a moment upon Roy's back.

"I... can't say I expected it to work..." she said slowly, & quietly. "After all... I'm so used to disappointment..."

She fell unconscious again a minute or so afterwards, her breathing steady on the nape of Roy's neck, assured that although she was hurt, she had people there that really cared about her, & as her fingers tightened on Roy's clothes, she believed that for once... she really was safe.

To be continued...

* * *

Caroline: 2 down- 1 to go... 


	61. The New Keeper

Caroline: Alrite 3 chapters in 1 day... & now that Ive done all of this I need a small thank-u gift...

SO ANYONE WHO READS THIS CHAPTER (INCLUDING U JORDAN) READ THE A/N AT THE BOTTOM-I SWEAR IT DOES NOT SAY R&R

Also- I am NOT trying 2 pair myself up w/ Inu 4 those of yall who r like OMGWTF UR A TOTAL MARYSUE! U WANT INU ALL 2 URSELF!

Correction- Inu IS hott... but I do not want him 4 myself. He is off-limits & is reservd 2 Kagome... so ther...

* * *

Chapter 61: The New Keeper

Kagome struggled against the chains binding her to the wall of the dungeon.

"It's no use, girl," Envy said. "The chains aren't going to give any time soon."

"Well, I'm not going to tell you or anyone else where the jewel shards are either, so you can just give it up," she said. "Besides," she said, managing a smirk. "Inuyasha will be here any moment now to rescue me."

Naraku laughed.

"Would you like to see what your friends have been up to, Kagome?" he asked, almost in a mocking tone. "Because if you could see, I think you'd agree with me that they won't be coming too soon."

Kagome glared at him with quiet hatred for a moment before he eyes looked upon the scenes of the past week, starting right after the moment she had been kidnapped.

---

Caroline groaned as she woke up, her eyes struggling to open.

"It's been a while," Ed laughed.

"Nani?" she moaned.

"Geez," he said. "You've been out for over a day. It's almost 3:00."

"Crap!" Caroline yelled, shooting up. "You did all that stuff yesterday!" She smacked her forehead. "Dammit, sorry, guys."

"Don't be," Ed said. "Everyone's out right now helping with village chores & getting food. We don't have to rush."

Inuyasha snorted from out by the door. Ed glared at the hanyou's back.

"I'll g-"

"No," Caroline said coldly, putting her hand on her brother's shoulder. His gold eyes looked at her for a small moment, confused, before she looked up, her own brown ones burning into his, & smirked.

---

"Hey, Inuyasha," Caroline said, sitting down on a medium-sized rock outside the door.

He grunted in response. She stared at him for a moment before looking down at the ground.

"I'm really sorry," she said. "I didn't want to hurt you or Kagome."

Inuyasha began to look out of the corner of his eyes at her.

"It's like... I knew what I was doing but... I couldn't stop myself. I didn't want to hurt any of you." He watched her fists clench. "I hated myself after I did it, but I hated him more. When he... when he had the Shikon... I... I couldn't let him take it." Her eyes burned with determination as she stared at the ground. "I... tried to fight... honestly I did."

Suddenly she took Inuyasha's hand, & forced something into it.

---

The six were laughing as they walked back, different plants & sorts of food in their hands.

"& so she said-"

Jordan stopped, noticing something. The others stopped, & followed her gaze, watching as Caroline handed Inuyasha something.

---

"I'm sorry I didn't get all of it," she said, crossing her hands behind her back, & smiling nervously, her eyes finally looking up at him.

He opened his hand, & stared, amazed at what was in his hand, completely speechless.

"I honestly thought about giving up," she said. "But then I remembered... Why live with open hands, & let it all go when I could live with clenched hands & hold on to whatever I've got left?" She laughed softly. "I mean... I might not have much left but I can at least try, right?"

Roy smiled, looking at the child he had raised. Her eyes burned into Inuyasha's for a long amount of time, the two silent for a long amount of time.

"Inuyasha?" she asked. "Why do you live with open hands? Why do you let everything & everyone slip through your hands?"

The hanyou was silent in utmost confusion. He finally understood, then closed his eyes, & placed the half of the Jewel back into Caroline's hands before turning around & walking away.

"Keep it safe," he said. "I'm trusting you, got it?"

Caroline watched his back as he walked inside, blinking with an unsatisfied look on her face.

"So we've got the Shikon Jewel, huh?"

Caroline looked over to the group she just realized was standing there. She looked at the half, then walked over slowly, & placed it in Jordan's hands quietly. The group looked at it, before walking off, & leaving the two to themselves. Jordan looked at it for a minute before placing it back in Caroline's hands. Caroline looked up, her eyes innocent & questioning.

"Prove yourself, kid," Jordan said, walking off, & leaving Caroline standing there.

Caroline looked down in her hands, starting at the sacred jewel for a moment, before clinching her fist around it, & running to catch up.

---

"So..." Naraku said. "That child's got the Shikon in her hands?"

Kagome looked frightened as the last scene replayed in her head. Naraku laughed along with the other sins.

"This will be _too _easy," Envy said, as an unnoticed tear ran down Kagome's cheek.

'Please Caroline...' she thought. 'Be careful...'

To be continued...

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Caroline: Ok... I kno Ive askd this b4 but I nevr really got a review 4 it & plus its l8r on in the fic now... & I NEED this super-badly 4 a chaptr in the (hopefully) near-future... if the group (Inu, Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, Shippo, Roy, Ed, Jordan, & Caroline) were separated & put into teams of 2- who do u think should b 2gethr? I kno there's an odd number & that sum1 will hav 2 b by themselves so... yea... Im tryin not 2 put siblings togethr but instead tryin 2 possibly put modern characters w/ feudal characters so... pleaz just leave a small review of who u think should work w/ who & who should b by themselves... i really do need help so pleaz... it would b much appreciated...

ps- THEY WONT B IN THESE GROUPS BUT 4 A FEW CHAPTERS JUST SO U KNO


	62. The Journey So Far: A Summary

Caroline: GO-MEN-SAI! I APOLOGIZE GR8LY 4 NOT BEING ABL 2 UPD8 IN AGES! I LOST MY MEMORY STIK & COULDNT TRANSFER FILES BUT NOW I HAV A NEW 1 & R READY 2 POST ONCE MOR! Ill tell u wut... 2 make up 4 it the VERY FIRST person 2 review w/ their favrite oc/real character couple- ill write a side story SPECIALLY based on THAT very couple- just 1 last thing... NO YAOI or YURI couplings... just old OC/REAL CHARACTER ok? now... read darnit... > ... & review!

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Chapter 62: The Journey So Far-A Summary

Roy had just told Edward that the Philosopher's Stone was missing. Ed decided not to tell his siblings, but instead to keep it from them. When Jordan ponders whether to tell Caroline & Alphonse or not, Roy makes her promise not to, for it is Ed's duty alone to tell them. However, he asks her on one of Hawkeye's wishes, to give the three siblings an order to watch the well (which is NOT the same well that leads to Kagome's time... this is a random well FAR from where the one Kagome's is) behind Central HQ, for the Lt. claims she saw a suspicious looking thing enter it.

When Jordan leaves Caroline at the well to guide a lost Edward & Alphonse to it, Caroline, out of curiosity, breaks her promise to see what is so dangerous about the well, & jumps in. When Ed, Al, & Jordan arrive, they find Caroline is missing, & go to find Roy. Meanwhile in the Feudal Era, Caroline was found unconscious by Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Miroku & Sango. While Roy, Ed, & Jordan (Al was too large to fit in the well...) jump down the well & into the Feudal Era to go find Caroline, the youngest Elric begins to get to know the Inu-gumi.

Once Caroline is found & after the yelling (Ed, Roy, & Jordan at Caroline... mostly Jordan though... ') has ended, the group decides to stay the night before returning to their own time. However, they find the well that leads to their time broken. The team begins to bond, telling each of their stories, which is where we learn of Caroline & Jordan's past.

_Roy answered the door late one rainy night to find a familiar sight- Hoenheim Elric, holding a not-so-familiar one-&-a-half year old daughter in his hands, Caroline (leaving Roy to be about... 18 or 19 if I'm correct...). Hoenheim tells Roy that Trisha & their sons are dead, but asks Roy if there is any way that he can take his daughter in (of course this isn't true... he's making up a lie... his body's actually decaying if youve seen the later fma episodes). Roy believes Hoenheim will come back to get her once he's gotten himself back onto his feet, so he agrees. However, a year & a half later, unbeknownst to Caroline, Roy recieves a letter from 'one of Hoenheim's nurses' (we find out later that Hoenheim is actually the one who wrote it in Chapter 49 i believe...) that states Hoenheim was found on the streets in pitiful condition & taken into the hospital. Before he passed, he asked that Roy take good care of his daughter & try not to bring him up too much around her, if at all._

_Jordan & Caroline grow up as rivals, best friends, & as sisters through the years facing life & the tough times it brings together with Roy. Roy is sent off to war when Caroline is about four & a half, leaving Jordan to be almost six. When Caroline is six, & when Jordan is eight, Roy & Jordan's parents are found killed (we find later on in Chapter 35 that Jordan was planning on attempting Human Transmutation to bring her parents back, but Caroline convinced her otherwise just by listening to Roy & looking at his text of alchemy every now & then) However, things start going for the better, Jordan is ten & has wristbands to match Roy's gloves, practicing & studying her alchemy each day to prepare for the exam she'll take in three years, & Caroline, the only one who's not interested in alchemy, is living her life as a happy, carefree child. But things take a turn for the worse once she finds the letter in Roy's office drawer, & decides alchemy is the only way that can give her what she wants in life. Racing through as many alchemy books as she can find, & studying even harder than Jordan does, she manages to learn all she can, & attempts Human Transmutation on the night of March 29th, 1910 (a month after her brothers attempted it... lol the irony). Though Roy & Jordan do all they can to save the girl, they come to her aid too late, & find the terrified girl missing her left arm._

_After months of recovery, Caroline leaves the two Mustangs behind, & goes off to find the best automail engineering. When she oversleeps the stop her train made at Rush Valley, she finds herself in Risembool, & makes her way to the Rockbell home (Ed & Al left a few weeks ago). The Rockbells give her automail, & for the next three years, Caroline does all she can around the countryside of Risembool to work off the pay (poor kid... aint got no money --). After her debt is paid, she returns to Central to take a shot at becoming a State Alchemist. She finds that Roy has been promoted to the rank of a Colonel, & that Jordan has accomplished her goals of becoming a State Alchemist, & is now known as the Living Flame Alchemist. Caroline delves into all sorts of alchemy books once again, & earns her rank & name-The Forsaken Alchemist._

_Roy, being in charge of all three Elrics, pulls Ed, Al, & Caroline together on the day of March 29, 1914, Caroline's 13th birthday. After explaining Caroline's story to Ed (not even Ed remembers her --), & providing evidence that it's not some sort of joke, Ed & Al begin to accept their long-lost little sister, & from then on, the rest is history._

The origin of the Elric sister ends as the group begins to fall asleep. Early the next morning, the Mustang & Elric siblings witness the Inu-Gumi's power when a spider demon attacks them, & hear the first about Naraku. Nothing more is mentioned of the mysterious villain, except for his enormous amount of power. The next day, Kagome takes Ed, Roy, Jordan, & Caroline to her time where the two younger girls have their fair share of mischief, & when Ed confesses to Roy that he is scared & worried about having a sister, Roy reveals more about the girl. He tells him that she doesn't want help from anyone, & that her only weakness is her naivety- she's too young to have realized the depth of human depravity, & that each new dive into the darkness scares the child to no end. He tells him not to worry, that she'll begin to trust him soon enough, & Ed decides, whether she trusts him or not, he will protect her no matter what.

A day later, they return to the Feudal Era, where they soon meet Koga & his younger brother, Kiyoshi, who kidnaps Caroline because of his attraction to her. After an argument & a few misconceptions, the two agree to be just friends, despite sharing short but sweet moments together. When Kiyoshi realizes Caroline is in danger, they set off to return her to her newly found friends & teammates, but their safe journey back is cut short when they run into a strange dragon like monster (a/n: Envy...). While Kiyoshi runs off to find Caroline's friends, Caroline decides to take on the monster herself, but as nightmares begin to interfere (a/n: due to Abandonment...), Envy begins to choke her. However, miraculously, the Inu-Gumi, Ed, Roy, & Jordan jump through the clearing just in time to save Caroline. But when Kagome's arrow misses Envy, & hits Caroline's automail, things go wrong again.

Envy disappears, leaving the group, but that's the least of their problems now that Caroline's arm is broken. The team returns to the well that leads to 1914 (a/n: they actually forgot it was broken), but find it was mysteriously fixed, & back to its normal condition. Roy & Jordan spend the next few days back at work, while Ed & Al are sent on a mission (against their will...). Caroline, however, travels to Risembool (w/ money this time!) to get Winry to fix her arm. However, it turns that her arm wasn't the only thing that was shattered that week. Her heart was too, when Hoenheim, her father, came to visit Pinako & found his daughter. When Caroline decides to leave the morning after the procedure, Hoenheim follows her, against her wishes. The next few days pass, & when Caroline is actually beginning to bond with her father, the man tells her he must leave once again. For the next week, Caroline is completely devastated, not talking to anyone or anything, but when they are back in the Feudal Era, when Ed finally decides to question her, she breaks down crying into her brother's shoulders, & he realizes exactly what happened without Caroline hardly speaking a word.

The nightmares continue, throughout the day & night, haunting Caroline constantly. One night, however, she wakes up while the rest are asleep, & spots Inuyasha sitting in a tree. She joins him & the two begin a conversation together, but the peaceful night is interrupted when the Homunculi (just Lust, Gluttony, & Envy), Kagura, Kanna, & Kohaku attack. Caroline & Shippo, being the youngest, are told to stay away from the fight, but as it rages on, Caroline can't help but interfere. When she decides to fight, however, she is taken on by an unnoticed girl who looks almost exactly like Caroline (hair is let down though, & wears the same outfit as Envy) & Caroline's nightmares return, haunting her worse than ever, giving Kohaku a chance to sink his chain sickle into her back.

When she wakes up, she finds many did not expect her to live, above all, Ed, which doesn't help his uneasiness about having a sister who doesn't want to be protected (a/n: as Roy says 'You're used to helping the weak, & they're grateful for it, but Caroline... she doesn't want any help.). Trying to be a brother & guardian to her, Ed makes a decision on his own. He tells Caroline that she can no longer stay in the Feudal Era & fight, for she has already gotten hurt twice in one month (automail broken & this incident), & that she must return to their time the next day. This drives her to unthinkable anger, & when everyone is asleep, including Inuyasha, she runs away from the village, & into the forest. When her back begins to hurt, she rests for a minute, & while she is distracted, a strange figure with long black hair & red eyes comes to greet her (Naraku... dunh dunh duh). He claims to know everything about her, & proves it to the girl. When she begins her suspicions about him, however, he says that if she promises to swear her loyalty to him, & fight to get jewel shards, he will give her back her arm & he will give her the entire Shikon Jewel once it is complete, since she's such an 'interesting' girl. Caroline accepts the offer, telling herself nothing can go wrong.

When they arrive at Naraku's castle, sure enough, Naraku restores Caroline's left arm back to its original form, flesh & blood. While she is rejoicing, Caroline remembers something. She turns to him & asks him his name. When he tells her, Caroline is frightened & feels guilty, her mind flashing back to all the stories her 'old teammates' told her about him. Naraku watches as Caroline backs straight up into the same strange girl Caroline was against the night before, who we now learn is Abandonment. Before Caroline can get a clear view of the one behind her, she falls unconscious, & wakes up a few hours later. Her memory slightly altered, she forgets all stories & all she's heard of Naraku, & forgets everything that happened earlier that night past the time when her arm was restored. & when Naraku tells her his name the second time that night, she doesn't say a word about it.

She wakes up the next morning to a surprise awaiting her. In her closet sits an outfit like Sango's but with light blue armor & dark blue ties instead of pink & red, a matching katana, & a large metal shuriken as large as she is. Caroline takes caution & decides to 'disguise' herself by dying her hair black. However, the biggest surprise comes just as she finishes changing & spots a young, timid boy who says he is ready to go with her, just as Naraku ordered. As they set off, she notes his slight resemblance to Sango, & asks him his name. The boy, Kohaku, (is not completely possessed... not like w/ lifeless eyes or anything) begins to wonder if this is his 'sister' ( his memory's starting to come back!).

During a later fight with a snake demon, the two gain four Jewel shards, but Kohaku sprains his ankle. As Caroline tries to nurse him back to health, Kagura comes to take Kohaku back to the castle, but comes with a special message from Naraku- to continue fighting until further ado. Caroline, drained of all energy, tries to obey but falls asleep when she's pushed to the limits of exhaustion. However, she wakes up to a familiar voice, realizing it's Jordan, & does her best to disguise herself. Soon enough, the rest of the group follows after the younger Mustang, & spots Caroline. None of them, however, recognize her, & Caroline is pondering whether to attack them or not, but suddenly feels very uncomfortable about her plan, & leaves them all standing there. & even though she is disguised, it seems she's already given too much information to Jordan, who takes off following her.

Unbeknownst to Caroline, when she returns to the castle, she is still being followed. As she stops at the entrance & turns her hair back to its original color, Jordan realizes that she is not wrong- this really is Caroline Elric. But just as she turns to run, Jordan feels a sudden ache in her head, & falls unconscious. Caroline steps into the castle, not seeing anyone or anything, & before she knows it, Envy steps out of the shadows, & renders the girl helpless as he makes her fall before her knees at Naraku's throne. But Naraku's not the one sitting in the chair. Instead, it's the same girl Caroline fought (Caroline don't remember her though...), & in an instant, Caroline suddenly falls into the same mental torture as before, but this time when she falls unconscious, everything's different.

Caroline finds herself & Abandonment in her own mind. Caroline asks Abandonment how she knows everything about her past, as she claims, & gets a simple reply that she was created by Caroline that night she attempted Human Transmutation. Once Caroline tries to fight back, the rest of the night is turned into unbearable physical & mental torture. When Caroline finally comes to, she sees Naraku on the throne before her, & he tells her never to hold back again or things will get worse for her.

The next mission Caroline is sent on is one where she & Kagura must join together. Kagura is to get the shards from Koga's legs, however, Caroline is to get the ones from Kiyoshi's. As Caroline & Kagura start their journey out, they begin to learn a little more about each other. Caroline is surprised to learn that Kagura dislikes Naraku, & asks her why she doesn't just go & kick his ass, but is dumbfounded when she is asked a similar question from Kagura. She suggests that they can both run away from Naraku together, but to no avail, for Kagura says he is too strong.

The two find Koga soon enough, & soon after, Caroline takes off running, scared that if she fought, she would cause serious harm to Kiyoshi once they found him, but more than that, scared of what Naraku will do when she returns to him. Bounding through the forest, her foot catches on the root of a tree, & trips, finding herself right in front of the Inu-gumi. Quickly thinking of it as a chance to redeem herself, she orders them to hand her the Jewel shards, or else. When they refuse, she attacks, only to find herself going head-to-head with Jordan. The two fight their way all the way deep into the trees, far from the rest of the gang. When Caroline's guard is down, Jordan covers her mouth & restrains her, angrily telling her she knows exactly who she is, & asks her why she is doing this to herself. Caroline breaks free, telling Jordan to leave her alone, giving her a look of hate only matched once in the past- when Caroline learned Jordan was considering using Human Transmutation to bring her parents back.

Caroline runs off, leaving Jordan to herself, & not even bothering to attack the gang again now that their guard is up. However, as she tries to get away, she finds that the wound she earned from battle is worse than she thought. She decides to stop & rest under a tree, falling asleep as the moonlight shines on her. The next day, she is awoken by three very strange people. A small girl, a frog demon, & a tall, handsome dog demon. After traveling with the three of them for the rest of the day (due to Caroline's major crush on Sesshomaru), Caroline decides to venture into the forest when darkness falls, telling Sesshomaru she will be back before dawn (poor thing actually thinks he cares...--).

While walking, Caroline begins thinking. Somehow, she is starting to get bad influences on Naraku. She decides she will take the path of getting her work for him over with as quickly as possible. However, she turns around suddenly once hearing footsteps behind her, finding that Kiyoshi has been following her. After apologizing, Kiyoshi says that she reminds him of a girl he met from the future (remember- Caroline's dyed her hair black now...), & that a few weeks ago they met again, & traveled together, but in a battle, she was killed by a mysterious woman named Lust (smart people could figure that the Caroline Kiyoshi traveled with was actually Envy). Caroline hesitates, but in the end, keeps her mouth shut, & ignores all of what Kiyoshi told her about her 'death'. The two head off into the night, Caroline forgetting about returning to Sesshomaru.

The seasons begin to change, but that isn't all. As Kiyoshi & Caroline spy on the others, Caroline finally remembers what happened to Kohaku. She returns to Naraku's castle one night, lying to him by saying she will betray Kiyoshi. She sneaks out with Kohaku, & takes him to Sesshomaru, taking the shard from his back, & asking the demon to revive him using Tenseiga. Caroline leads Kohaku to Sango, however, staying in hiding so that the others don't see her. At one point, she finally reveals her secret to Kiyoshi, but can not tell if he believes it's actually her. So, all is well... or so it seems.

After returning to Risembool to hide for a week or so, Caroline, along with Kiyoshi (who was brought along for... well just cause), go back to the Feudal Era, even with Caroline's bad intuitions about it. While traveling, Kiyoshi claims he has picked up a scent of food nearby. Soon both of them are in a small home, built in a supposedly empty town with the only two residents, a kind old man and woman. As Caroline makes small-talk with the woman, she looks to find Kiyoshi asleep against the wall. As she takes her first sip of tea, however, she notices that it tastes unusual. The woman tells her to continue drinking it, for it is good for her and the taste will pass eventually. After Caroline takes few more sips, she suddenly doesn't feel as well and passes out in just a matter of seconds. And as Caroline's mind fades to black, the old woman turns into Envy, and the old man (a zombie-slave of Kagura's) hits the floor as the spell is broken.

As soon as Caroline awakes, she finds herself in the middle of a forest, Abandonment's hand holding her by the back of her hair. The homunculus tells her what happened, and informs her that Envy is fighting Kiyoshi. Worried, Caroline fights against the homunculi's grip, and is surprised when Abandonment lets her go. Caroline bounds off through the forest, stopping when she finds Kiyoshi, lying on the ground, blood covering his body, and eyes half-lidded. Horrified, she falls to her knees beside him, demanding to know what happened. The wolf demon simply answers that he got himself in a fight, all in order to protect her, and angrily, Caroline claims that she could have protected herself. As she screams at him, he grabs her hand, and asks her to stay strong for him and take the enemy down. In denial, Caroline tells him he can't go, he can't leave her, and before she knows it, his lips are pressed against hers. After the kiss is broken, she pulls him into an embrace, crying on his shoulders as he confesses his love for her, and through tears, Caroline confesses her love for him. A breeze blows as his body goes limp in her arms, and as she lays his body down, she begins to cry on his chest. However, with her both guard down and no one to protect her, Abandonment sneaks up behind the girl, overtaking her.

(just incase you're wondering... Caroline has now died her hair back and has obtained her original clothes like her coat and jacket and all...) The next time we hear of anything, Caroline has been bent as far as a human soul and body can be. Collapsing from Abandonment's attacks, she begins to wish she were dead and asks for Abandonment to kill her. Abandonment ignores her wish and, as ordered by the Naraku, brings her to him. As she is thrown at the feet of Naraku, Caroline begs for Naraku to kill her as she realizes the true depth of the sin she committed- betrayal. Throwing a large book of valuable information to her, he says he'll take her wish into consideration, but thoughtfully says she might want to owe it to her brother first. As she opens the book, she realizes it is valuable information indeed- not enough to obtain an entire body for Al, but a limb at least for Ed. She immediately begins sketching the art of the Transmutation Circle in the book onto the floor, and as she puts her hands on the circle, brightness begins to surround her, and she is thrown into a strange-looking place. Turning to find Abandonment behind her, she finally remembers where exactly she is- The Gate. Before she can do anything about it (not like she could anyways... ), long arms begin to reach out, pushing themselves into her forehead. Afterwards Abandonment quickly explains that those of the Gate can take mental objects, as well as the physical, and that she has ordered that they take her free will.

Meanwhile, Ed is awoken, and finds that his leg was restored to flesh and blood. Everyone else, as well, is surprised, their suspicions rising, but for the time being, they decide to wait till morning to figure it out. Back at Naraku's castle however, Caroline has fallen into Abandonment's willpower, obeying each & every word she says. As Abandonment takes pleasure in watching her scrub the castle floor, Naraku enters, & Abandonment commands Caroline to obey all the orders Naraku gives as well. The demon takes his seat on the throne, and commands Caroline to go take the shards from Kagome... then kill all of them. Against her will, Caroline obeys and leaves the castle, shuriken in hand. Caroline finds the group soon after Edward has awoken from a nightmare, waking everyone else as well, and begins to attack. She takes all of them out, except for Ed and Inuyasha, who has managed to fight the hardest of all. Just as Inuyasha is about to kill off Caroline (a/n: duh... she pretty much 'killed' Kagome there) Ed steps in, and takes out the hanyou, not wanting his sister to get seriously injured. Ed's protection is taken with no gratitude, as Caroline, with tears rolling down her face, stabs Ed. She takes the Shikon shards from Kagome, tears of guilt rolling down her face, and begins to return to Naraku.

Suddenly, while looking at her sword, she slashes it against her left arm, cutting herself in agony, wishing only to die. After a moment more or so, she falls to the ground in pain, and her vision fades to black. She awakes in a sort of dream world (aka- the border between life & death) & finds herself in Risembool (i guess the border can be whatever you want ok? k good). Somehow, she finds her mom, and the two begin to talk by the riverside, Caroline revealing everything about herself. After thinking, Trisha begins to tell the girl that if she is that angry, she must fight for what she believes in- to go with her intuition, and not look back. Before Caroline can ask for anymore help, she finds herself fading away. She wakes up, and stands to face Abandonment, who has ordered that she give the shards to her. As Caroline refuses, she finds that the one in front of her is an illusion (due to the fact that Abandonment uses mind tricks), and before she can turn, falls from a wound made with a kunai knife, Abandonment grabbing the shards from her hand, and saying she is surprised that Caroline has broken the 'leash' she had on her. Naraku appears soon after, taking the shards and combining them with the shards he has, completing the Shikon Jewel. He expresses his gratitude to her by giving her the honor of being the first one he kills as a full-demon. Before that, though, Caroline lunges forward, with the sword in her right hand. She grabs the hand Naraku holds the Jewel in, and uses the other hand to raise the sword on Naraku's arm, while Naraku crushes the bones in Caroline's left arm. As Caroline brings down the sword, all shards are broken, and scatter across the land once more.

Caroline awakes hours later to find her old teammates surrounding her, claiming she must be dead. Guiltily, Caroline yells at them to get away from her, but they explain that they have to get her to safety before it's too late, for Caroline' left arm has been torn off by Naraku, who by now, is gone.

Ed, Roy, Caroline, and Jordan all return to their time. Caroline and Jordan stay in Hughes's home, where they stayed when Roy went to war. After Caroline's act of saying very few words for the past day or so, Jordan tells her to quit the act, and stop feeling guilty, and soon she is back to normal, and both are on their way to Risembool to get her arm repaired while Ed and Roy are hospitalized. Once they return, Caroline's birthday passes, leaving her 14 (by now Jordan & Al are both 15, Ed is 16), and both of the boys are released. Ed & Al take Caroline & Jordan's places at Hughes's house, and the two girls return to their residence at Roy's home, where Caroline, who hasn't been around there (due to missions & all) in ages, grows quiet once again. Roy, who notices, tells her that long ago he moved another bed into Jordan's room, incase Caroline ever returned. Her mood changes once again, and all is well for the night. And, of course, annoying Jordan with a night of hardly any sleep, the next morning, when the two leave the house (Ed & Al left on a mission, Roy's in the Feudal Era, checking on the rest & telling them they will stay in their own era for just a few more days), Jordan gets up ahead, leaving the Elric sister far behind, who catches up later, knocking down a small boy who escapes from her unnoticed with a pocket watch, handing it to a strange man in the alley in exchange for the safety of his sister, & as revenge for the night before, is forced to do her paperwork for her. As Caroline leaves later on at night, grumbling, she trips over a soccer ball, and a group of kids, wishing for their ball back, ask her unexpectedly if she is in the military & if they can give a small piece of paper to Caroline Elric. The girl nods suspiciously, but takes the piece of paper. While walking back to Roy's house, she takes a look at it, it reading that if she wants her pocket watch back, she must meet in the Central Freight Yard (yes... yes... Roy's been transferred by now... guess everyone took a train from the HQ in East City) at midnight that night... the person whom it's from is anonymous.

Later that night, of course, with much thought involved, Caroline finally makes the decision to sneak out. Fearfully, she walks to her room, & for the first time since she left home 5 years ago, opens the door. Ignoring the blood on the floors, open books, & dust, she opens the window, & jumps into the alley below. However, Jordan awoke right as she shut the door to Jordan's room. The blue-eyed girl runs to wake Roy, and tell her what she found on the floor. The man grumbles as Jordan hands him a small sheet of paper, before his eyes widen. Meanwhile, by taking a series of shortcuts, Caroline has found her way into the Central Freight Yard, & has gotten herself into a fight with a State Alchemist killer named Scar. However, just when things seem hopeless for Caroline, who has fallen unconscious, her father, who happens to be roaming the streets at the time, comes to save her, asking Scar that if he will kill him, will he let Caroline go. However, it is only a little bit later that Jordan & Roy come to the rescue, sending Scar running, knowing he is outnumbered. Although angry with Hoenheim, who Roy truly believed was dead, he takes Caroline from his arms, & both his sister & Caroline's dad follow. It is when Roy sets Caroline down that he loses his temper with Hoenheim, letting the pain he's seen Caroline go through her entire life finally get to him. Hoenheim stands up, saying few words, but tells Roy the only reason he left Caroline with him is because he knew Roy would be a better father than he ever was. When Caroline awakes, the two Mustangs tell her what happened, & as they leave, they hear a frustrated scream come from Caroline's room.

The next time we see Caroline, she is sick from running out in the rain looking for her father. When all is better, though, & when Ed & Al have returned, the four return to the Feudal Era. Caroline, of course, is very quiet once again, & stands where she can hardly be seen when they greet them. Later on, as they all sit around to eat, Caroline sits off by herself in a corner, staying mute. As the fire begins to die, she offers to get it, her voice stone-cold, but Inuyasha coldly offers instead, running out of the hut, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, & Kohaku following behind, leaving Kagome, Ed, Caroline, Roy, & Jordan. The five sit quietly, & rather awkwardly, making small talk, before a man enters the hut, panting, saying his son has fallen ill (Envy... you faker). He said that when he found Kaede, she was busy helping a woman give birth to a child, & that she said to get them, & also that she said she needed a package delivered to the farthest hut in town. Caroline offers quietly once more, but is denied both jobs. Ed lovingly tells her to wait for him before taking off, & once left by herself, Caroline lets out a scream & begins to cry, as a shape-shifting figure watches her through the window.

As the others make it back to the hut later, they notice Caroline missing. As Inuyasha begins to lose his temper, Roy points out nail marks in the wood, making it look as if someone tried to struggle to get away. Meanwhile, Envy bounds through the forest, holding a bound & gagged Caroline. He sets her down, & the two argue for quite some time, even though Envy says he has no reason to hurt her. Soon, the other Homunculi appear, & just as Caroline is about to be dragged off to Naraku, Ed runs in, making a gash on Abandonment's cheek. The others appear quickly after, & Caroline is set free before a fight begins. As it turns out, Caroline is a good archer, & tells Kagome to give her the bow & arrow, then run, but before that, she tells her a secret. Taken aback, Kagome does as told, & runs back into the forest, confident in the young girl's abilities as poisonous wasps begin to surround the area. Kagome stops to take a break, but is surprised when she sees an unharmed Inuyasha walking towards her. However, as he grabs her hand, she realizes his prayer beads are no longer there. Before she can do anything, the imposter grins & takes off with her in his arms. Back at the fight, all are fighting as hard as they can, & they stop when they see Envy, at the speed of light, run thorugh, Kagome in his arms. Before anyone can stop him, he jumps across a cliff, the others following. However, just as they are about to break down completely frustrated, they hear Caroline scream.

As it turns out, the girl has been stung by a poisonous wasp fed by red water (but they dont know that yet... ). All are very worried, but until the next day Caroline convinces them that she is okay. As they walk through the forest though, everything starts to go wrong, & she passes out. They return to Kaede's hut, & for the next two days, she is out, & all are convinced she is as sure as dead. Ed, in his fury, almost commits suicide, but Roy runs behind to stop him, & once they return, all is well for Caroline. She eats an entire feast & falls fast asleep. However, Ed is awoken when he hears Caroline running across the floorboards, pulling on her boots & running off before he can do anything, claiming to have seen Abandonment. She runs into a clearing, ready to fight, & as Abandonment appears, Caroline is taunted non-stop. However, Abandonment notices a change in her when her voice sounds more inhuman, claws grow out from her nails, three red marks appear on the side of her face, her eyes turn red, & a homunculus mark appears on her back right shoulder, exactly where she got stung. Caroline completely loses control, fighting Abandonment harder than ever before, fighting until even she is physically exhausted, then passes out. Just then, when the girl is left most vulnerable, Ed bursts in, threatening Abandonment not to even touch her. The homunculus turns away, saying she would never do that to an enemy in that state, just before walking off. The next morning, Caroline explains it all to them, leaving them all shocked. The marks are still on her face, but everything else, except the homunculus mark, has disappeared. Roy, Miroku, & Ed try all day with alchemy & sutras to cure her of this, but nothing works- only the marks disappear (they're kind of like washable marker on your face I guess... they just... take longer to disappear... & WITHOUT water), as well as Caroline's energy.

She sleeps until mid-afternoon the next day, & once awoken, she goes to follow Inuyasha, who has hardly said anything to her since she attacked them. Making her apologies, she stands up & forces half of the Shikon jewel into Inuyasha's hand (lol... she got that much of it while fighting Naraku that night). With the rest watching from the side, they are surprised to see Inuyasha hand her the Shikon back, trusting _her _with it now. The rest leave it with her, Naraku, his henchmen, & a kidnapped Kagome watching the new keeper of the Shikon Jewel through Kanna's mirror.

---

"Caroline!" Jordan yelled from the back of the group. "You coming?"

Caroline stood & turned around, a huge hand-made bouquet of flowers in her hand. She smiled toothily, her eyes closed.

"Yeah," she said kindly. "Gimme a minute."

She bent down once more in the grass of the clearing in the forest by a rather large lump in the ground.

"Give me strength, Kiyoshi" she said softly as she placed the flowers down on his grave, before placing her hands together, & bowing her head a little before getting up & running to the end of the group, jumping on her unsuspecting brother's back happily.

---

Thus, the journey moves onward.

To be continued...

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Caroline: finally done! srry it took so long! ill post asap! I just have 2 edit the next chaptr a bit mor! PLLLLLLLLEEEEEAAAAAAZZZZZZ r&r! 


	63. The Longest Night

Caroline: WOOPDIE! I CAN POST ANOTHER CHAPTR!

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Chapter 63: The Longest Night

The next three weeks went by quickly & smoothly. They had found six shards out of the remaining twenty. So there were only fourteen left. However, the other side was catching up as well. Abandonment had used her powers against Kagome's mind in order to help get four more. That left ten shards to go.

The group was huddled together that night they had found the sixth. Inuyasha was leaning against a tree, looking at the sunset. Kohaku & Shippo were busying themselves by playing with Kirara, & Miroku was fidgeting with the prayer beads around his wrist. Sango tossed a small twig into the fire, as Roy watched the flames with an intense glint in his eyes, & Ed was cleaning his automail. Jordan sat on a log next to Caroline, who hugged her knees against her chest. It was when she looked over that she saw a sad look in her eyes.

"Something wrong, ekai?" she asked.

Caroline's eyes shifted in her direction for a second, then focused back on the fire.

"Your face," she said, her tone showing no emotion whatsoever.

"Ah," Jordan said. "In a bad mood, huh?" She hugged her own knees up to her chest.

The two sat in silence for a while.

"It's the Shikon Jewel, isn't it?" Jordan asked.

Caroline's head began to bury itself into her knees. Jordan saw her nod.

"I'm scared..." Caroline whimpered after a minute or so.

Jordan felt sorry for her for a second, then frowned.

"Well, you're not gonna give it up now are ya?"

Caroline's head shot up & shook rapidly, her eyes closed.

"Okay, okay, relax," Jordan said, waving her hands. "Just checking, that's all."

Caroline's head sunk back down into her knees. The look in her eyes the same as before.

"Aneue..." she said quietly. "I... I want things... I want things to go back... like they used to be..."

Jordan looked at her for a moment, blinking childishly for once, before her expression mirrored Caroline's.

"They can't," she said coldly, breaking the silence.

"But... why?" Caroline asked, her voice breaking.

"It's life," she said, her voice still cold, her mind playing pictures & memories of the past. "We go on, & sadly enough, we always wish we could go back & change what happened. But we can't."

Caroline looked, the flames reflecting in her brown eyes, wide & innocent as they looked at the girl, still longing for an answer.

"Humans make mistakes... some are little-petty & worthless. But some are life-changing," Jordan continued. "But some are life-altering. They don't only change you & your life, they change the people around you."

Caroline stared at Jordan as her intense blue eyes watched a log crumble in the flames.

"Jordan..." she said slowly, as her eyes drifted into shadow. "Is that why you don't trust me?"

"What?" Jordan asked, confused & taken aback.

"I... never realized how much I changed you & Roy's lives when I left..." she said. "It was... downright selfish of me really."

Jordan tried to say something, but Caroline suddenly chuckled grimly.

"You know... I never thought about how much I really was like my dad."

"Now that's not true," Jordan said, softly punching her in the right arm. "You were only doing what was best & trying to fulfill your goals... I thought it was quite brave actually. & as for me & Roy, we haven't changed one bit."

"Brave?" Caroline asked, her eyes staring into the fire longingly. "I doubt it, but whether you noticed it or not, you two have changed... you don't talk as much anymore, at least not around everyone else. You used to talk all the time."

Jordan laughed.

"I think you're thinking of yourself, Caroline."

"No... really... you were a lot friendlier back then..." Caroline said. "Roy too. & you two used to be so nice & loving & now... I don't even see much of it anymore."

"The Military changed us, Caroline, not you," Jordan said grimly. "Being controlled by someone else constantly... let me ask you, Caroline, which dog barks louder? A beaten dog or a spoiled one?"

"A spoiled one, of course," Caroline answered, looking quite confused.

"Yes," she said. "Being controlled by the Military just..." Caroline watched her fists clench, & scratch into the wood.

"Then quit!" Caroline said, trying not to yell.

"I can't," Jordan said, her eyes burning like her brother's.

"Why the hell not?" Caroline asked, frustrated.

"I don't quit," Jordan said. "You know that. & also, Roy changed after the war. Remember when he came home?"

Caroline had brief flashbacks of the first few weeks Roy was back from the war.

"Nah, forget it," Jordan said. "He was always different around you."

"Different?" Caroline looked confused once more.

"He never told you everything you should know," she said. "That's all."

"Like what?" Caroline asked, sounding a bit angry.

"I have to push him to the top," Jordan said, changing the subject calmly. "That's the only reason I don't do as much field work as a State Alchemist... like you & your brothers do."

Caroline still didn't look satisfied, but looked at the fire & acted content.

"I didn't think he was serious about becoming Fuhrer," she said after a few minutes.

"He is," Jordan said. "As serious as it gets."

Caroline looked back at her, their eyes meeting for a few seconds.

"Then I want to help him," Caroline said.

"No," Jordan said. "You can't."

"Yes I can!" Caroline said determinedly. "He helped me through life, so I can help him, right?"

"He doesn't want you to," Jordan said. "He wants to fulfill his goals, but he doesn't want to interfere with your goals either. He'd rather you succeed than fail by trying to help him."

"But-"

"Trust me," Jordan said, sighing afterwards. "If you promise me that you won't try to interfere with Roy's goals instead of your own, I'll let you in on a very important secret. But you also have to swear you won't go psycho on any of us once I tell you, okay? I'll give you till tomorrow morning to think it over."

Caroline nodded, & then turned to look at Roy fiddling with his gloves & dispassionately creating a spark that floated into the night air. He caught her gaze a few minutes later, & smiled slightly. Caroline gave a weak smile back.

This was going to be a long night of thinking.

To be continued...

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Caroline: PLEAZ review! i beg of u... k good... 


	64. The Secret Let Out

Caroline: ok im upd8n again! yay! well... i think its finally startn 2 wind down now... --... HOWEVER! ther will DEFFINATELY b a sequel! im actually thinkin of doing 2 ALTERNATE sequels but... iono... the yyh/inu/fma 1 would probly b bettr than just another inu/fma fic... for those of u who dont kno about yyh (Yu Yu Hakusho) i HIGHLY recommend it... its a very good show & has AWSUM plotlines (& gr8 bishies 2)... but wutevr... ther mite b 15 mor chaptrs or sumthn 2 write & thn this will b complete... anyways since sum1 reviewd (ijustluffyou) w/ an OC/Character couple for a side-fic i startd writing 1...

im about 2 post it so... yea... its calld '**Powerless**' & its a Roy/Caroline fic... it takes place between the time whn Caroline returned to take the exam & the time before she met Ed & Al... about a 6 month period or so i believe... maybe longer... HOWEVER it has NOTHING to do w/ the actual plot of this fic tho with similar moments... PLEAZ read... i workd HARD on the 1st chaptr & i want 2 kno wut othrs think of it... well ok please do so aftr reading THIS chaptr!

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Chapter 64: The Secret Let Out

The brunette awoke. It was early morning, no doubt, but it was still pitch-black. Caroline flipped open her pocket watch.

"4:14..." she muttered quietly, before sitting up.

"So you're up too, huh?" Jordan asked.

She looked over to the girl throwing small alchemy-made kunai knifes at a tree, trying to hit a certain spot.

"Yeah," she said, scrambling up & walking over to her, quietly.

She huddled against her coat, sitting on the log next to the Living Flame Alchemist.

"So what's up?" she asked quietly, watching the knives go from the girls hands to the tree, hitting very close to the 'bull's eye' indeed... or at least what Caroline _thought _was the bull's eye.

It was silent for a minute, before Jordan lowered her knife-throwing hand, & turned around.

"You want to know that bad, huh?" she asked, sighing.

Caroline looked forward, confused before the determination grew back into her eyes. She looked up, & the determination was overpowered by confusion & slight fear as she saw the look of pity across Jordan's face.

"Is it... really that bad?" Caroline asked, quietly.

Jordan sat down on the log beside Caroline, twirling her last knife with one of her fingers, her other elbow resting on her knee.

"It was... a while back..." she started quietly. "Back when we were in our own time... before we even knew about this place."

"Yeah, yeah," Caroline said, her brother's impatient spirit taking affect on her once more. "Get to the point."

Jordan gave her a glare through the corners of her eyes, before sighing & continuing.

"We... we searched everywhere," she said. "The leads on it grew fewer... & fewer... & fewer."

'What's she talking about?' Caroline thought worriedly. 'What leads?'

"It began to get where there weren't any leads at all," she said. "We & the higher-ups began to look everywhere. We searched every file, every city, every town, every last thing we could think of. No clues in a book, no leads, nothing, nothing, nothing... it was all we could find. You remember all those missions me & Roy sent you on?"

"Yeah," Caroline said, nodding. "For two people who reunited me with my brothers, I couldn't understand why some missions we were separated..." she added grumpily.

Jordan nodded.

"Yeah, well, we needed as much help as we could get. Splitting you apart on some missions seemed to give us some hope that maybe, just maybe you would find some leads. But it was one day that we figured out the truth... every last one of us..."

'No...' Caroline thought suddenly. 'She... she couldn't be talking about-'

Jordan suddenly threw the knife, hitting the bull's eye.

"It's gone, Caroline," Jordan said, choosing not to look at the child.

"Wh... what's gone?" Caroline asked worriedly. "The knife?"

'Please...' she thought, hopefully. 'Don't let it be the Philosopher's Stone... please...'

"For someone who's supposed to be a child genius, you sure have a hard time figuring this out," Jordan said, before sighing. "Sorry about that..." she muttered after a moment or so. "The... Philosopher's Stone is gone..." she said quietly, looking away from the brunette.

"Ed... doesn't know, does he?" Caroline asked after about five minutes of silence, hugging her knees to her chest.

"No," Jordan said quietly, hugging her knees against herself as well. "He knows... he... just... he never had the heart to break it to you & Al, of course... he cares about you two more than anyone else," she said. "That's why... I'm telling you. You needed to know."

Caroline was quiet for a few more minutes.

"I'm... really sorry about all of it..." she said, thinking the girl had begun to cry. "If I get any lea-"

"I guess I really do have to protect it now, huh?" she asked.

Jordan looked over, her blue eyes seeing Caroline's amber ones staring off forwards. She as silent, not able to say anything else to the girl. Caroline slowly pulled out almost 3/4ths of an entire Shikon no Tama, & held it out in her hands, the purple light glowing.

"Gah!" Jordan yelled, smacking the girl on the head & reaching for the Shikon Jewel. "Stop it! Stop it! Put it away, you baka! That's not protecting it!"

"What the hell are you doing!" Caroline yelled back, a chorus of yelling between the girls arising as the two grew into a blur of brown, black, & purple. "Get off of me you sick perv! & mind you're own business!"

Once it was quiet again, the girls sat where they had been sitting before, silent, & staring off forwards.

"You could really use a shower," Caroline said randomly, breaking the silence.

"I think we all could," Jordan said, chuckling at the girl's randomness.

The two were surprised when Inuyasha jumped down from a nearby tree. Caroline actually screamed loudly & grabbed onto Jordan's shoulder, fearing for her life.

"What a baby," Jordan said, aggravated, grabbing Caroline's hands & pushing the girl off her shoulder. "It's only Inuyasha."

"Oh," Caroline said, sitting upright again. "Hey."

The hanyou came over to sit by them.

"What the hell are you two doing up?" he asked curiously.

"Beats me," Jordan said, shrugging.

"Trouble sleeping, I guess," Caroline added, rubbing the back of her neck.

"So you two decided to fight each other to the death instead?" he asked.

The two girls laughed nervously, before Caroline noticed something. She turned around, facing the other way on the log.

"Hey, guys, look," she said quietly.

The two others turned around.

"Wow..." Jordan said. "You don't see this at home."

Inuyasha's eyes widened slightly, even though he tried hard to look uninterested in the situation.

Caroline smiled & enjoyed one of the few moments of happiness in watching the sunrise with her friends.

To be continued...

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Caroline: yay! small moments of happiness... now... review & read Powerless! k good?


	65. On My Own

Caroline: meesh! erg... im SO mad... school starts back Friday... screw school u kno? Ill do wut jordan said which is...

Jordan: well least go the first day so u can b considered a HiGH SCHOOL DROPOUT...

Caroline: yeesh... that... lol jk... im gonna EXCEL! WOOT! (runs off screaming random sayings about the future to come)

Jordan:... ambitious arent we?

* * *

Chapter 65: On My Own 

Caroline took the shard from the body of the beast, before shaking the blood of her hand.

"Ah!" Shippo yelled as droplets of blood rained down upon many shoes, & because of his height, began to come towards him. He ran & hid behind Jordan's legs.

"Hey watch where you're slinging that crap," Ed said, as a bit of blood hit him on the nose.

Caroline laughed nervously, realizing she had gotten all of the demon blood off her hands & coat sleeve, & instead gotten it on her comrades.

"Don't you hate when that happens?" she asked good-naturedly.

"When a demon gets possessed by a Shikon shard?" Roy asked, trying to get some of it out of his hair. "Yes... yes I do."

"Yes, but there's lots of blood," Jordan said, grinning, but trying to wipe some of it off of her shirt. "Lots & lots of blood."

"When did you get so violent?" Roy asked after a moment looking quite disturbed.

"Another one bites the dust," Edward added, stretching out his arms.

"Quit your yappin," Inuyasha said. "The jewel's not gonna complete itself you know."

The others stared at the half demon as he began walking forward, not noticing the brunette Elric sister stick her tongue out at him.

---

"Aneue," Kohaku said, looking at Sango. "How much longer till all of this fighting will end?"

"Not much longer, Kohaku," she said, smiling, as Kirara jumped onto her shoulder.

"At least let's hope not," Miroku said. "The jewel's almost complete."

Caroline nodded, her eyes shining with determination & courage, staring at her hand.

"Which can be a good thing & a bad thing in itself," she said, clenching her fists.

The rest stared at the troubled girl for a moment before Caroline's eyes flicked upwards, noticing she had gained everyone's attention.

"Oh c'mon guys, I'm fine, okay!" she said, smiling & waving her hands. "I can handle this, alright?"

Miroku smiled.

"Let's hope so," he said. "At this point, Naraku would do anything to get the jewel."

"Wouldn't he already?" Ed asked whilst chewing a piece of alchemy-made bread.

"I think what he means is at this point, Naraku would work even harder than ever to get his hands on the Shikon," Sango said.

"Which means he'll have more than just a few tricks up his sleeve," Roy said.

"Right," Inuyasha said, nodding. "Meaning we'll have to steer clear of anyone that seems suspicious..." His golden orbs flicked in Caroline's direction. "No matter how persuasive they are..."

Caroline gritted her teeth together, about to snap, trying not to notice everyone else's eyes on her as well, but calmed herself quickly.

'Calm down, Caroline,' she told herself. 'You don't need to fight him right now...'

Her thoughts were broken as she heard a strange noise. Everyone looked to the small girl who laughed nervously, holding her stomach.

"Sorry, guys," she laughed. "I'm sorta... you know..."

"Starving?" Jordan asked. "Yeah, I think your stomach just said it for you..."

"Yeah," Caroline nodded. "I...uh... saw a stream back there," she said, motioning her head towards the direction. "So I'm just gonna go see if there's some sort of fish or something, you know..." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Transmuted bread's sorta lost its taste..."

'I need to burn off some anger anyways,' she added in her mind.

"Yeah whatever," Inuyasha said.

"You want me to come with you?" Ed asked.

"No, no," Caroline said, waving him off. "I'll b-"

"Of course not," Miroku said, standing up, & taking the girl's hand into his own, & rubbing it with his cheek. "You wish for me to accompany you, don't you?"

"Uh..." Caroline blinked, a nervous blush appearing across her face.

"You pervert!" she yelled. "I'd be better off on my own! I mean-" she stopped herself, taking a deep breath, & taking a sweeter, quieter tone "I think I'll be fine," she said firmly, slipping her hand away from Miroku's grasp. "I'll be back soon," she said calmly, turning away, & vanishing into the night.

---

"Yah!"

She kicked a branch of a tree that hung straight through the path to the stream, snapping it into two. She continued walking onwards.

'Why did you have to be so stupid?' she asked herself. 'Why did you ever make that dumb decision?' She suddenly ran straight into a tree.

"God dammit," she muttered, before rearing back & punching the trunk of it, bark flying everywhere.

She regained breath after a moment before flexing the fingers of her automail. Spread fingers. Clench them. Spread fingers. Clench them. The noises they made were usually just quiet squeaks, but after a few tries at flexing them, something began to feel weird.

'Whatever that is,' she thought, her brown eyes flicking side-to-side carefully observing the left & right, refusing to move even one muscle. 'I have to keep my guard up...' She slowly began counting in her head. 'One... two...'

"3!" she yelled, turning around quickly.

Nothing.

'Stay strong...' she told herself. 'Keep your guard up. I _can't_ be defeated... I won't.'

She slowly moved her hands close to a clapping position, waiting for something, anything, her eyes observing once more. Her hearing had increased since she had been stung by the poisonous wasps, & had gained many more new abilities, as well as strengthened some old abilities, but she didn't hear or see this.

"So tell me, pipsqueak, if I were to attack you now & no one was there to stop me, would anyone hear your scream?" (a/n: you kno that whole 'if a tree were to fall & no one was around to hear it, would it make a noise?...)

Caroline turned around, her eyes widening, before she let out a blood-curdling scream.

To be continued...

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Caroline: dunh dunh duhhh... SUSPENSE! review ppl! 


	66. The Argument

Caroline: yea so after leaving u all w/ an irrit8ng cliffhanger... i decided id post the next chapter... enjoy ppl... o & by the way...

**I WILL NOT POST THE NEXT CHAPTER UNTIL I GET 5 MORE REVIEWS!**

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Chapter 66: The Argument

"Yeah! Alright!" Shippo yelled, pumping his fists into the air. "I won! I won!"

"Knew I should've picked scissors," Miroku said, sighing.

"I still don't see how a thin, little sheet of paper could beat something with as much mass as a rock!" Ed argued. "It doesn't make any sense!"

"Ed, chill out!" Jordan said.

"Honestly, must you scrutinize everything?" Roy asked.

"Urusai, taisa," Ed shot. "You're just upset because_ you _can't see what_ I_ can."

"& you're just mad because I beat you," Roy said, flicking the teenager's nose.

"Ur-a-_sai_, taisa!" Ed yelled.

Kohaku, Sango, & Jordan looked on, quite frankly not knowing what to say about a situation such as this.

"Big brothers are such a pain sometimes," Jordan said. "Lucky you don't have to deal with em."

"Aren't all boys in general pains?" Sango asked, as she noticed Miroku wink at her.

Kohaku looked away, slightly upset about the girl's observations.

"Kohaku," Sango said. "Stop being so shy."

"Yeah, you know we weren't talking about you, right?" Jordan asked.

"Oh, uh..." Kohaku said. "Yeah."

The two girls smiled at the young boy's awkwardness.

"Say..." Kohaku said suddenly. "Where's Inuyasha?"

"Oh him?" Sango asked. "More than likely in one of the nearby trees..."

"Yeah I'm pretty sure I saw him sneak off to one," Miroku said.

"So I suppose it's some sort of everyday activity for him, right?" Ed asked.

"Pretty much," Shippo said. "He must really miss Kagome."

"Well, of course," Sango said. "After all, he knew her before he knew any of us, right?"

"Yeah," Miroku said. "He knew her long before we teamed up."

"Same here," Shippo said, Kirara mewing shortly afterwards.

"Of course," Jordan said. "You can tell he really likes her."

"Who ya talkin about?"

Ed gasped.

"Caroline!"

The rest turned around, seeing the girl's coat torn around the edges, dirt smudged on most of her face & her flesh hands, spots of blood on random places, some of dripping from her mouth.

"What... happened?" he asked, running up to her.

Before the older brother could embrace her, the girl looked up with wide eyes, holding up a half-eaten fish in his way. The boy blinked.

"Eh..." Ed could not find the words to say anything else.

"Want some?"

---

The girl tore the last piece of meat off the fish with her teeth, throwing the rest over her shoulder into the grass.

"So how exactly did you get all that on you?" Roy asked, a strange look on his face.

"Already told you," Caroline said, smiling innocently. "I was attacked by a rabid squirrel."

"& the rest of it came from that fish?" Jordan asked, motioning to the blood running down her chin.

Caroline nodded.

"Yep."

"Oh yeah," Roy said, obviously disbelieving the girl. "Right..." He decided not to ask.

"Back already?" Inuyasha asked, walking towards the group.

"Inuyasha!" Caroline exclaimed, turning around & grinning from ear to ear.

"What happened to you?" Inuyasha asked, before his eyes narrowed, examining the girl. "Did something go wrong with that... magic of yours?"

"It's alchemy!" Caroline argued, frowning. "& no, I was attacked by a rabid squirrel!"

"You lost your arm, your free will, & now you've lost your mind," Inuyasha said. "What next?"

Caroline made a mocking face of the hanyou.

"Ha ha," she said sarcastically. "Very funny seeming how you've lost Priestess Whatsherface, your girlfriend, & most recently, your sense of humor," she narrowed her eyes. "What's next?"

"Back off!" Inuyasha growled. "& Kagome's not my girlfriend!"

"Quit lying," Caroline said harshly, between Shippo's efforts to end the argument. "You know it's true."

"Guys, come on," Sango said. "Lay off, alright?"

"It's a load of crap & you know it!"

"Just as well as I know your love for Kagome," Caroline said, making a mocking kissy-face.

Miroku stepped in. "Honestly, this isn't helping anything so just-"

"No wonder your father left you, you annoying little bitch," Inuyasha said, as a cold dead silence blew over the area.

To be continued...

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Caroline: remember... 5 reviews ppl & the next chapter will b up & trust me its a **REALLY GOOD** chapter...


	67. The Imposter

Caroline: ehehe...wow lots of reviews... more than i expected but all are appreciated... i wish i got mor of em... so yea... readers... keep up the good work & ill pay ya back... so REViEW bitches!

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Chapter 67: The Imposter

"Hey!" Ed yelled, bringing his hands together. "Don't you dare-"

"Ed, shut up," Caroline said, her head hanging down, both fists clenching, the knuckles on her flesh hand turning white.

A few more leaves blew through the area all of them sat in as the brunette girl turned around, walking over to the farthest log away from Inuyasha, & sitting down, her back to them all, hugging her knees up to her chest.

Jordan stepped forward, but decided not to as she looked closer at Caroline, then to Inuyasha, seeing the exact same look in his eyes as hers. She calmed down, & backed off, staring at the brunette for a bit longer.

Ed watched with anger, his temper rising quicker than ever. He turned around, ready to lunge at the demon, but Roy put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Don't do anything, Fullmetal," he said. "We don't need you getting hurt on top of all of this, & your sister wouldn't want to see that happen either."

Ed growled, ready to shoot back something, but said nothing as the Colonel walked off. Instead, the blonde took in a deep breath, & went to sit down by the fire, knowing that right now, Caroline didn't want to see, talk to, or listen to anyone.

All were in silence for quite a time. Inuyasha had finally decided to sit by the camp fire, & stared angrily at Caroline's back. Ed was staring at his sister's back, waiting for some sign of movement, but to no avail. Sango sat between Miroku & Kohaku, cleaning the Hiraikotsu, while Miroku prayed & Kohaku made dents in the log with his chain sickle. Roy stared at the stars, his eyes flicking to the small brunette occasionally. Shippo was trying to sleep, & used Kirara for his pillow, & Jordan had simply grown bored & used alchemy to make some kunai knives, aiming & trying to hit certain spots on a tree. Her eyes flicked back to the small girl every fifteen or so minutes, & each time she saw the girl, she began to get more & more annoyed with the girl who had just given up on fighting back. Finally, it had been enough, & the girl stood up.

"Ni? What's wrong, Jordan?"

Miroku had barely finished the last word before the entire group gasped.

"Caroline!" Ed yelled as a particularly large & sharp kunai knife struck the Elric sister in the back, near to the heart.

He skidded to a stop, falling to his knees, holding his bleeding sister in his arms, tears beginning to form in his eyes as he noticed there was no breath, no pulse, not even a heartbeat.

"What the hell was that for, you bitch?" Ed asked angrily, his voice shaking.

"Have you lost your mind?" Roy asked the girl, grabbing her collar.

"No, but apparently you've all lost your sense of observation," she said, tearing away from her brother's grip, & pointing at Caroline before anyone else could attack or threaten the younger Mustang. "If you haven't noticed, there's a small slit at the bottom of Caroline's coat," she said, pointing to the emerald-colored, blood-soaked garment. "That being said, where is it now?"

Ed looked at the girl, contemplating the situation for a moment, before jumping back quickly as his 'dead' sister began to laugh.

"I really should be more observant myself, shouldn't I?" she said, looking up to Ed before a sick grin took over her face.

"You sick bastard," Ed muttered as the body switched to a teenage boy.

"I knew that scent wasn't hers," Inuyasha muttered. "Either that or she had gone back to Naraku..."

'So that's why he said that?' Kohaku thought, placing it all together. 'Makes sense.'

"How dare you do that!" yelled Shippo, who had awoken once the commotion had begun. "What've you done with Caroline?"

The boy chuckled.

"That's for me to know & for you to find out," Envy said, laughing.

"You sick..." Ed muttered. "Tell me where she is right n-"

Ed was stopped as the breath was knocked out of him, the impact of Envy's kick. The blonde fell suddenly.

Kohaku raised his chain sickle, but Envy quickly transformed only his hand into something similar to Lust's, knocking the weapon out of the young boy's hand & slamming him into a nearby tree.

"That does it," Sango said angrily, her right arm rearing back. "Hiraikotsu!"

Envy dodged the weapon by jumping into the air gracefully, spinning, & landing on his feet, having caught it in the air, threw it back at the young demon slayer.

"What!" Sango yelled appalled, before the boomerang slammed into her, knocking her out.

"Sango!" Miroku yelled, running to her side, & catching her before she hit the ground, staring at her face for a moment before turning back to Envy. "I'll end this now," he said, pulling at his prayer beads before his eyes grew wide.

"You wouldn't dare do something like me, right, Miroku?"

Miroku smirked.

"Your phony disguise is something," he said, beginning to pull at the prayer beads around his kazanna. "But you could never be as beautiful as the _real_ Sango."

The taijiya imposter laughed.

"But I could be as strong..." she chuckled. "Hiraikotsu!"

Sango's boomerang had flown fast & hard but, if believable, the fake one's flew even faster, knocking Miroku out before he could defend himself.

The imposter began to laugh as Sango began to fade into Envy.

"My, what an easy group to take out," he said. "& it only took a few minutes.

Shippo latched onto Roy's leg, trying to look brave as he, both Mustangs, & Inuyasha stood their ground.

'Dammit, Miroku, wake up,' Inuyasha thought. 'We need your-'

Suddenly, the group watched as Envy's head was pulled back suddenly, as if by a certain force.

"Tell me where she is," Ed said, his voice filled with hate & anger. "& you better tell me _now_."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, pipsqueak but..." he said, elbowing Ed in the ribcage to get the blonde to let go of his hair. "I don't know where she is."

"Don't know!" Ed yelled.

"You're lying!" Jordan said, snapping her fingers, sending a flame that spiraled towards Envy, backed up by flames of Roy's gloves.

Twisting & turning, Envy avoided it, & for a long time, avoided both flames sent by both the Flame Alchemist & his sister until both were so physically exhausted that they couldn't even use their own alchemy, & passed out, Shippo protecting all of the unconcious. & even after that, when Ed & Inuyasha teamed up to attack, no one could seem to lay a hand on Envy.

"Stop kidding around!" Ed yelled, getting back to his feet for what seemed the hundredth time tonight only to be beaten down again.

"I-" Slap. "Don't-" Punch. "Know." Kick.

By this point, Ed couldn't even bring himself to stand. Even the hanyou was exhausted, he had been trying to get at Envy for at least an hour now, & had failed as many times as Ed.

Envy flipped his hair back, grinning & looking over his victory.

"It seems all went well tonight," Envy said. "You're lucky I didn't kill you," he said to the ones that hadn't passed out. "You or that little brat of a girl."

"She's-" Ed coughed. "Alive?"

"More than likely, I suppose," Envy said, shrugging & stretching his arm. "I don't think I hurt her too bad. But as far as that goes..." He looked back over his shoulder. "I think you'd want to find her soon."

"You won't have to worry about that," Ed muttered, managing a small grin. "She'll find us easily. & vice-versa."

Envy laughed.

"Oh, I don't know..." he said. "For your sake at least, you'd better hope you find her first..." He smiled as he saw Ed's questioning look. "Before Naraku does."

As Ed & Inuyasha's eyes both widened, Envy waved goodbye, smiling sickly, before he & his laugh vanished into the night.

To be continued...

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Caroline: dunh dunh DUH... isnt the plot just SO ironic? lol REViEW 2 find out about how Caroline is...


	68. Fake

Caroline: ok so... i guess im gonna post this 2day then... lol this could b like... the PERFECT chapter 2 post rite now considering how mad i am a CERTAIN person (coughcoughjordancough)... im quite happy w/ wut i do in this chapter... lol ull find out...

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Chapter 68: Fake

Brown eyes fluttered open.

"What's... going on?" the brunette muttered as she looked around.

"Hey, shrimp."

Her head whirled around.

"Whoareyoucallingsosmallthatyoucan'tseeherwithamagnifryingglass,youlousypieceofshit!I'lltearyouto-"

Her side bangs were grabbed in an attempt to make the girl shut up, if for just a moment. Caroline grumbled, before looking up to a smiling face, chuckling.

"Well to answer your question, I think that's quite obvious considering your..." Eyes looked at the girl from head to toe, the smirk widening. "Closeness to the ground..."

Caroline broke her hair free from the hand, considering the grip had loosened quite a bit, & stood up.

"Yeah, yeah," she said, dusting off her jacket. "Shut up, Jordan."

"Aw, but its fun to make you angry," she said, bending over to eye-level with the child, & patting her on the head. "You haven't grown a bit since the day we got here."

"That's not true!" Caroline yelled, before stuttering. "I... well... I... I... I grew a centimeter!" she screamed proudly, before adding a quiet "I think..."

The black-haired girl laughed.

"& I grew an inch & a half," she said. "Forsaken no chibi."

After getting over her mental issues of Jordan getting even taller than her, Caroline shot back.

"Stopcallingmethat!What'syourdealanyways?Areyoujustwantingtostartafightyoustupidlieutenant?Wellbringit-"

Caroline let out a small yelp as her bangs were pulled once more, a tighter grip. She thrust out her lower lip as the Mustang sister grinned.

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love your hair?" she asked, teeth flashing.

Somewhat scared by this, Caroline's eyes widened, knowing that Jordan was never a 'oh-my-gosh-I-love-your-hair' sort of girl.

"Did one of your alchemy transmutations go horribly wrong, chuii?" she asked.

"I mean this little leash right here," she said, pulling on it suddenly, causing Caroline to stumble forward.

"I knew something was wrong," Caroline said, her eyes narrowing unhappily as Jordan laughed.

"Come along, my little doggy," the lieutenant said jokingly.

She stood up again as her hair was given a slight pull, following the girl through the forest.

---

Caroline muttered curses as she thought of multiple ways to hurt &/or kill Jordan.

"Chuii," she whined. "You said we were getting food. I don't see it."

"What?" Jordan said, looking around. "You say it like it's supposed to come up & bite us in the ass or something."

"Huh?" Caroline asked, putting a finger up to her face as she began to think. "Food... biting... ass... That doesn't make any sense!"

"Figure of speech, baka," she said, looking forward once more. "& stop acting so stupid unless you want me to pull that leash of yours again."

Caroline quieted down immediately, & began to look around her at the forest. Light shone through the leaves of the trees, & onto the path. Birds chirped, & every now & then, she would hear something scatter across the forest ground.

Jordan looked back, & stared for a minute, before the girl's brown eyes flicked to her quickly, gazes catching.

"What?" Caroline asked after a second as the two kept walking.

"I was thinking..." the girl said, grinning. "It might be better if you gave me the Shikon, you know?" She smiled as the girl looked confused. "Like... it would probably fool Naraku & the others... they wouldn't know who had it."

Caroline beamed.

"Yeah, you're right," she said, giggling in excitement. "That's an awesome idea!"

The older girl turned around, smiling, waiting for Caroline to give her the Jewel.

"I mean," Caroline giggled innocently, hands behind her back. "Since I missed your birthday last year when I was with Naraku & all..." She giggled again, before her eyes flashed open, & a smirk appeared on her face. "I guess you could say," her foot scraped the ground as she dragged her leg back. "I owe you one!" she yelled as she spun around, her leg making contact with Jordan's stomach.

Caroline stared forward still, an all-knowing smirk still pasted to her face as the girl staggered backwards, attempting to stand.

"As much fun as I like to admit that was, I have to say it felt pretty _unreal_..." She chuckled. "Come out, you sick freak, I know it's an illusion."

Caroline continued to stare forward even as a voice came from behind her, laughing.

"Your mind's getting quicker, I see. So are your movements. Have anything to do with that pathetic curse you have on you?"

"Maybe," Caroline said, somewhat cocky, still refusing to turn around even as the illusion of Jordan faded into nothingness. "Although I never thought it much of a curse, considering..." Her head looked over her shoulder quickly. "It can kick your sorry ass."

With that, the figure jumped out of the darkness & towards Caroline, who dodged easily, both starting a flurry of kicks & punches. One kick landed Caroline in the ribs, & she was thrown back, but landed on her feet by throwing her hands onto the ground, & flipping back.

"Nice to see you too..." she muttered, smiling confidently. "Abandonment."

The homunculus laughed.

"Nice acrobatics," she teased, as she began walking towards the girl.

"Yep," Caroline said, not even bothering to get up, but instead, sitting straight down on the ground, propping her arms up behind her. "It was a lovely show, I'd say..."

"I suppose," she said. "& what would you consider it? Comedy because of your relation to an ape or tragedy," she said, stopping a few feet in front of Caroline. "Because your life's about to end?"

Caroline made a mock-thinking look.

"Hm..." she said. "Let's see." She pointed a finger at Abandonment. "Comedy because of your face, tragedy because we have to deal with it."

Abandonment looked irritated.

"Oh, & let's not forget," she said, smiling toothily, & holding a finger up. "Romance for the little thing you & Naraku have goin on!"

"We do not!" Abandonment yelled, for she took after Caroline in more ways than one.

"Of course you don't," she said sarcastically. "& you don't have _that_," Caroline added, pointing a finger past Abandonment's direction "behind you either."

Abandonment turned around & gasped.

To be continued...

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Caroline: yea so im gonna b gone on a cave expedition Saturday (2morro...) so yea... whnever i decide 2 chek back (most likely 2nite) THERE DAMN WELL BETTER BE SOME REVIEWS! o & 4 the idiots who dont kno... ABANDONMENT & NARAKU HAVE NOTHING GOING ON WITH EACH OTHER WHATSOEVER... that was all sarcasm back in what i said in the fic... so yea... REVIEW!


	69. Rescued

Caroline: YAY! LABOR DAY WEEKEND! TIME 2 PARTY! WooT! WELL UH... PARTY AS IN...

1- AUBURN SEASON 06 BABY YEA! WAR EAGLE!

2- MY PERSONAL VIVA LA BAM MARATHON SEASONS 1-5

& 3- JORDI COMES OVER 2NITE SO YEA... NO WORDS 2 DESCRIBE THAT...

ALSO! IF I GET LOTS OF REVIEWS- THE MORE UPDATES OVER THIS WEEKEND! SO... YEA... ENJOY BITCHES!

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Chapter 69: Rescued

Abandonment turned around swiftly, her arms down by her sides, fists clenched.

"Honestly, Abandonment, I expected more out of you..."

Abandonment bowed slightly.

"Yes, Lord Naraku, it's just-"

"Can you not defeat her?" the demon asked. "Haven't you done it many times before?"

"Yes, I was just about to kill her."

"Then, where is she?"

Abandonment turned around, smirking as she saw that Caroline had disappeared.

'I'm the caster of your nightmares, girl,' she thought. 'Don't you know I can see through your third-rate illusions?' she chuckled on the inside. 'You'd better run, girl... & you'd better run fast...'

She chuckled as she walked through Caroline's alchemy-made illusion of Naraku, making it disperse into the air as she disappeared into the darkness.

---

Caroline panted as she sprinted through the forest, looking back to make sure nothing was behind her.

"Make fun of me, will ya?" she asked into the wind. "Maybe if you had noticed I clapped my hands before I flipped back & placed them on the ground..." she couldn't help but chuckle confidently in her tricks.

She continued running until she began to imagine hearing sounds of other footsteps behind her.

'Crap,' she thought, as she began to feel the heat of running overtaking her lungs. 'I'm already tired out as it is & I still have to keep going?" She gritted her teeth & forced herself to run even faster than before, her brown bangs & ponytail flying in the wind.

Suddenly, she began to think the footsteps she heard had all been a trick played on her by her ears, but she kept pushing herself nonetheless, until...

Her eyes widened, & she skidded to a stop... but that wasn't enough.

She ran smack into the blue uniform.

"Well, it's about time," Roy said, embracing the terrified child.

For a minute, the green & black-clad brunette was taken aback & confused, but in a few seconds, she pushed herself away from the older man, jumping back a few feet.

"You freakin liar," she muttered, before raising her voice. "Stop playing games with me!"

The raven-haired man stared at her in confusion for a few minutes, before smirking & throwing his arms out as a sort of smug surrender to her.

"I can assure you, kid," he said, before opening one eye. "I'm not playing any games."

"Oh yeah," Caroline said, smirking. "Then you won't mind if I do this!" she yelled, swinging her left fist across his cheek, raising her voice on the last two words.

She stepped back, rubbing her left fist with her right, smirking victoriously.

"I've been wanting to do that for a _long_ time..." she said, before her eyes widened, noticing something.

Earlier when she had punched through the illusion, she had felt nothing. This time, however, she felt flesh, & muscle, & bone.

Roy stood up, laughing slightly, Caroline staring, wide-eyed & somewhat fearful.

"I have to admit, kid," he said. "You've gotten a lot stronger than you were a few years ago. I can still imagine you as that little girl who only came up to my knee, asking for someone to play with her."

"Yeah, well..." Caroline looked away, eyes sad & lonely. "Having someone to play with isn't at the top of my priorities list anymore."

Roy smiled sadly, wiping a small bit of blood of his chin.

"I suppose not," he said, with regret in his voice as a silence began to fall upon the two.

"Sorry about the..." Caroline muttered, looking off into the distance, eyes refusing to meet his. "& the..."

The man laughed.

"It's fine," he said.

The silence lasted, & Caroline's eyes still refused to look at his. In fact, she hadn't noticed anything until she felt a presence near her. She looked forward, seeing a hand held out to her. She looked up into the face of the one who offered it to her, & she smiled back at him as she took it.

To be continued...

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Caroline: well since the other chapter is already written ill go ahead & post it but i better get sum reviews on BOTH chapters got it punks? ALSO- THANK U 2 ALL THE REVIEWERS ON THE LAST CHAPTER! Im glad 2 kno u all care!


	70. There For You

Caroline: well uh... heres this chapter 2 i guess... cause im nice... but u guys better gimme sum damn reviews 4 BOTH chapters ok? or else... muahaha... no update...

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Chapter 70: There For You

"So uh..." Caroline asked. "Where are we going?"

"I told you," Roy said. "It's a shortcut I found..."

Caroline grumbled, but continued onward, trying to break her hand free of his.

"You know..." she said, blushing furiously. "I can walk by myself just fine..."

"Yes, but I don't want to continue walking if something grabbed you," he said, pushing a branch aside of the path. "I wouldn't be able to see you if that happened, first off, & if it were some sort of demon, you'd be gone in the blink of an eye."

She stared angrily at his back, knowing he was going to add some sort of comment to that. She knew he & his sister all too well. She saw his head look over his shoulder, eyes sparkling.

"Not that you'd make any sort of meal for a demon," he said, chuckling quietly.

She growled.

"Imnotshortyoubastardtaisa!&letgoofmyhandrightnowyoufreakinpedophile!Rapist!Childmolestor!Iwontsleepwithyounomatterwhatyousay!Ihateyou!Ihateyou!Ihateyou!" she screamed, her words echoing through the forest. (a/n: & no matter wut some of u ppl may be thinking of... PLEASE DONT imagine any of these scenes... im sure they r quite sickening & disturbing... & overall... not good... this isnt sum sort of porn fic u kno...)

Roy began laughing loudly, & Caroline knew she had amused him with her antics, but it still didn't make her happy. In fact, it made her even madder, & she thrust her lower lip out, pouting.

"Can you let go of my hand now?" she grumbled, much like a young child, her eyes falling to another direction.

Roy never answered, & Caroline simply grew quiet as the two continued walking. The two suddenly stopped at a river.

"Get what you want to eat," he said, sitting on a nearby rock, watching the girl with a hawk's eye. (a/n: haha... hawk eye... lol... dont mind me... )

Caroline smiled as her hand was released, & ran to the river, throwing her coat onto the grass. It was true that she didn't like fish, but she would rather have some variety every once in a while instead of alchemy-made bread. She giggled much like a little kid would as she jumped into the river, water splashing everywhere. She came up, smiling, & flipping her hair back, giggling as she saw Roy completely drenched & looking very unhappy about it.

"You know..." he said, running a hand through wet hair. "It's amazing how a kid as small as you are can make such trouble."

She smiled victoriously, not angered by his comment at all.

"Trouble's my middle name," she said, an evil glint flashing in her eye.

"I have no doubt about it," Roy said, a lazy expression passing over his face.

She put one automail finger into the water, & then jumped up, a fish biting at her finger instantly.

"Gotcha," she growled, grabbing it's tail quickly with her right hand, & holding the the flopping animal tightly.

She was ready to transmute her arm into a blade before she stopped herself, switching the fish from her right hand to her left hand, walking out of the water, & holding the fish out to Roy, refusing to look at him

"Here," she said quietly.

"What's this?" he asked, confused.

"It's a goddamn fish," Caroline said, looking back at him, before turning away once again. "You'd think a State Alchemist would know that sort of thing," she said.

"I know what a fish is," Roy said, frustrated. "But why are you handing it to me?"

Caroline was silent for a few minutes.

"Kill it," she said coldly, still determined not to look at Roy.

"What?" Roy asked. "Why me?"

"Cause..." Caroline said. "I don't want to. I don't... want to loose control..."

"I see... so if you see a drop of blood, you'll go completely out of it?" he asked, a more concerned look coming to his eyes.

"I... I don't know..." she said, her eyes lost in thought.

Roy sighed, before reaching out for the fish, but pulled his hand back when he saw Caroline throw the fish back into the river.

"What's wrong now?" Roy asked, completely puzzled.

"What's not wrong with me?" she asked. "I... I hate myself," she said. "I can't do anything by myself anymore. You guys are always looking twice to make sure I'm okay or that I'm not causing some sort of trouble. I can't be trusted anymore. I can't even trust myself," she said, her voice shaky.

Roy just stared silently.

& the worst part is... I'm like every one of you guys..." she said, clenching her fists. "I... I hate myself too."

"We don't hate you," Roy said. "What in hell gave you that idea?"

"No..." she said. "Deep down I'm sure you all do. I'm dumb, & a crybaby... & I'm always scared &... & I'm weak &-"

"Caroline."

The girl turned around, feeling Roy's arms around her.

"None of us hate you. You're none of those things," he said, smiling, as she looked up at him, tears filling her wide brown eyes. "You're smart, & brave, & kind..." he said. "& though none of us can fully understand the situation your in, we can understand the way you feel about it." He looked down at her for a moment as she blinked, unsure of his comments. "& even if Ed & Al, or anyone else, can't be there, me & Jordan always are, okay?"

Caroline blinked a few times, before choked back tears began to roll down her face, & she threw her arms around Roy, her fists clenching onto the back of his jacket.

"Thank you... Roy-san," she muttered through tears.

A warm, but concerned look crossed his face as one hand moved up her back, & to her neck. The smirk grew as his hand drew back slightly, & then hit the back of her neck, her body tightening against his for a slight second, before going completely limp. He smirked as the girl's body fell at his feet.

"You're welcome, Caroline," he whispered.

To be continued...

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Caroline: DAH! Roy-san! lol CLIFFIE! im so mean... well... uh... until i get more reviews ther will b no update so... REVIEW DAMMIT!


	71. Their Twisted Plan

Caroline: well i finally decided 2 update again... yay me! well... maybe not... lol im actually pretty sick rite now & since our schools got a 3 day weekend... yea so... im updating... & since im uploading- not 1 but- 2 CHAPTERS... u ppl better review... k? now... onward fiend.

* * *

Chapter 71: Their Twisted Plan

'Ugh...'

Darkness.

'Where am I? Am... I even alive?'

Caroline opened her eyes, her head hanging down, chin touching her chest. She slowly looked up, eyes tired & half-lidded. Her eyes scanned every inch of her surroundings, recognizing it as a cave due to the yellowish tint given off by a few candles placed on the walls (a/n: for those of you who don't know, caves are actually very, VERY large... the one i went caving in was like... 5 miles i think... this is NOT a small, dinky little cave).

"I... don't remember being here..." she said quietly, before yawning, & trying to push herself up to her feet, before her eyes opened once more, flicking to her left side, shocked. "What the-"

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She saw her green coat thrown to the side, a few feet off, along with her black under jacket, & farther off, about 3 yards away, was her automail arm. She gritted her teeth.

'Dammit... that explains it...' she thought angrily. 'Oh well...' she thought, a second later after calming down just a small bit. 'At least it's not broken... Winry would kill me... but then...' a different thought invaded her mind. 'Why wouldn't my right arm be respond-' Her thoughts stopped as she noticed her arm held in an upwards position, held to the wall with a chain. Her eyes grew wide & fearful before she began to hear a familiar, but chilling laugh that wasn't heard often.

"Oh for God's sake," Caroline muttered, hearing footsteps coming from the darkness that led out of this certain part of the cave where the laughter had come from. "I knew you were a pervert, but I never thought you would sink this low..."

The laughter had faded into a mere chuckle now & she knew that the figure was not far off as it continued to walk.

"Is it low... or is it just..."

Caroline jumped as she felt a hand cup her chin, a familiar face just inches from hers.

"Unusual?" it whispered into her ear.

Caroline turned about 20 different shades of red, before releasing her anger & confusion.

"Get away from me, you bastard Colonel!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, a few rocks falling from the top of the cave. "I'm a minor!"

Roy let go of her chin in a heartbeat, surprised from her yelling, & stood up, smirking once she stopped, completely out of breath.

"You definitely misunderstand this situation, don't you?" he asked.

"Uh..." she gave a small laugh in response. "I grew up with you, Havoc, & Jordan," she said. "I think I understand the situation just fine."

"So you know our little plan then, right?" he asked, resting one hand on her head, & giving her a large, toothy grin.

"Plan?" she asked, trying to ignore the fact that she was being used like some sort of dog.

Roy's smile faded into a dark-looking smirk as he took a step back, removing the hand off her forehead, holding his arms out as his body faded into another.

"Dammit," Caroline said, pushing herself back with her heels. "I knew it couldn't be Roy..." she said, narrowing her eyes.

"Well, I couldn't stay in this form forever," he said, before kneeling in front of her & pushing some stray hairs back. "It wasn't scaring you enough."

"You... don't scare me," she muttered, trying to shake her head to get Envy's hand away.

"Well that's one less thing we have to worry about then, isn't it?" he asked, smiling, as he slowly made a cut in her cheek with a fingernail.

"Ow," Caroline whispered, flinching. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked after a moment, trying to ignore the slight pain.

"Oh well, you know..." he said. "The fact that you now have a... shall, we say... _monster_ inside of you makes you more..." he thought. "Valuable."

"Valuable?" she asked. "Valuable to who?"

"All of us," Envy said with a twisted grin, using his fingernail to make more marks in her cheek. "Can you imagine what use you would be to us if that was unleashed? If that part of you was drawn out?"

Caroline's mind was struck with a sort of fear for that darker side of herself, & she bit her lower lip.

"Is that your... plan?" she asked warily.

"It sure is," he said, licking the girl's blood off of his fingers. "When I return, Naraku & the others will be with me. Kanna could easily steal your soul, or at least... the better part of it, leaving you with only the monstrosity inside of you..." he chuckled darkly. "& with Naraku's wickedness tainting the Shikon Jewel," he said. "It should be easy to put at least a shard of it into that Oroborus Tatoo of yours. After that, it's left to that demon inside of you to devour whatever goodness or will is left inside & then..." he chuckled once again. "You'll become one of us..."

Caroline looked angry, & gritted her teeth as Envy admired his bloody drawing of the Oroborus tatoo made on her cheek.

"Dammit," she said. "You can't take this part of the Shikon!" Caroline yelled. "I won't let you!"

"Oh, but you see..." Envy said, his eyes glistening evilly. "Naraku wants the joy of taking it from you..."

"You can't keep me like this!" she yelled, trying to break free.

Envy laughed loudly as he stood up.

"Ah, but you don't realize..." he said. "I can."

At that, he began to walk off, Caroline shooting glares through him.

"Oh, by the way," Envy said, stopping for a second to look over his shoulder. "Most of your teammates are knocked out. They wouldn't be able to find this cave anyways," he said, admiring the look of fright in the girl's eyes, before laughing & continuing forward. "Ciao," he said, raising a hand.

"Yeah right, you bastard!" she yelled over his laughter. "I'll escape! I kill you! Every last one of you!"

She yelled until she heard nothing but her own voice echoing the cave walls.

"I'll... I'll..." she panted, before hanging her head down in frustration & exhaustion. "Dammit," she muttered, too confused to even think.

To be continued...

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Caroline: yea so... u ppl must review on BOTH chapters, ok? cause... i need encouragement... ok? k good. review. NOW. 


	72. The Beast Inside

Caroline: dah... im back from dinner... so... time 2 upload this chapter... review k?

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Chapter 72: The Beast Inside

"_Inuyasha!"_

Two golden orbs flashed open.

"Dammit," he muttered, slapping a hand to his forehead after a moment of looking around & finding all the others asleep. "I can't keep falling asleep like this!"

"It's fine."

Inuyasha's eyes flashed over to the blonde teen whose eyes focused upon the ceiling with a sad look in them. He seemed to be lost in thought.

"What are you doing up?" Inuyasha asked curiously.

"Nightmares," Ed replied struggling to give a good-humored smile, his eyes meeting the hanyou's.

"I think that Abandonment chick is gettin into my head," Inuyasha said. "I've had the same stupid dream for nights now."

"Yeah nightmares come pretty often for me," Ed said, before his voice became a murmur. "...I hope Al's okay..." he said, Inuyasha's eyes looking over to him in question, unbeknownst to the blonde, who had reverted his eyes to the ceiling, a small smile on his face. "I bet he's back at home, trying to take care of all the kittens he can find... I wish I had left him with Winry... He's probably lonely..." his voice trailed off. "Caroline... I wish I could take better care of her too... I don't... I don't even know where she is..." he said. "Right now, all the cards are in Naraku's hands."

Inuyasha wished he could say something, but he knew Ed was right. Naraku had Kagome, & at least had a hint of where Caroline was, due to Envy's last comment the night before. Having the troublesome brunette along with the Shikon Jewel on their side would be bad enough, but having Kagome as well...

Inuyasha clenched his fists & growled.

"We just have to play a better deck," Inuyasha said through clenched teeth. "& do all we can to get to her before they do."

Ed looked over & stared open-mouthed for a few minutes before smiling & nodding.

---

"Ugh! Dammit!"

Curses echoed against the walls as Caroline reared back her right fist as far as it would go, the chain attached, & punched the rocky walls of the cave.

After another punch, she hit her head against the wall in frustration, panting, as she let down her arm, the chain rattling. Blood dripped from her knuckles & onto the ground, creating a small pool of blood by her right foot.

"Crap..." she muttered between pants. "I... have to... get out of here... _no matter what_."

She tried to use her strength to put another punch in the walls of the cave, but lowered her fist just as it was about to hit the wall.

"Dammit!" she whispered loudly. "If I try to land even a few more punches I'll end up cracking my knuckles..."

She growled in frustration before something hit her. Her eyes widened with thought, before she began chuckling. The chuckle grew into a maniacal laugh that even began to scare her.

"I am such an idiot," she said, leaning over with her bloody hand supporting her against the wall. "I can't believe I didn't think of this before."

She clenched her teeth together & landed another punch in the wall, causing more blood to flow. Letting the blood run to the tip of her index finger she began to draw a Transmutation Circle on the wall.

She felt something pulse within her & her blood grew warmer as she admired her work. She closed her eyes & clenched her teeth as she reared back her chained fist as far as possible.

'Please work,' she thought, before using all of her strength to punch her hand to her drawing on the wall.

It was silent for a minute, & she waited as vibrations passed up the wall. In a split second, she heard small rocks falling from the roof of the cave. She opened her eyes with a devious smirk, looking at her right arm, still bound, which had been cut by one of the falling small rocks. Blood was dripping from her hand & arms & she chuckled as larger rocks began to fall. Her smirk grew, as tons of rocks fell around her. As the real cave-in began to happen, she took her hand off of the circle, & immediately the chain snapped.

She grabbed her automail arm quickly, & plugged it into the socket, without making so much as a whimper. The smirk grew even larger, & as the worst part of it all began to fall from the top of the cave, she clapped both hands together as a strange red aura grew around her body. She threw them out to both sides of her, in mid-air, & it seemed to throw back or destroy any rocks that were about to fall on her, as if a sort of immensely powerful barrier.

Soon, all around her grew silent, except for the sounds a few falling pebbles made as they fell from the ceiling. She chuckled darkly, before looking up, the aura around her fading.

"So I can draw out this power, can I?" she asked. She had no marks on her face, no claws, no fangs, & her eyes only had a few sparks of red.

She smirked, & giggled evilly.

"Maybe I _like _having this monster inside of me after all," she said, before closing her eyes & falling backwards onto the rocks.

To be continued...

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Caroline: oooooh... someones a little power-hungry, yes? lol another update, another cliffie... kukukuku... maybe she stays, maybe she doesnt... i guess u all will just have 2 review 2 find out... 


	73. Love Like Winter

Caroline: so its DEFINATELY time to update again.. gomen... i couldnt find my memory stick so... its been a while... ... plus ive been studying like CRAZY for exams so... please forgive. & sorry if u think the title sux for this chapter... i couldnt think of any other title to use but this... & NO-its not a chapter-put-to-song or anything (FYI-love like winter is a song by AFI). ALSO!!!! ONCE I GET 7 REVIEWS-I WILL UPDATE (lol i just feel like 7... ) so... r&r!!!

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Chapter 73: Love Like Winter

(a/n: this chapter is set about 4 or 5 days after the previous chapter i suppose...)

The sun broke out of the early morning sky as the demon gave one last shriek.

"I will not be defeated..." it gasped as it's body faded into air.

"Yeah, that's what they all say," Inuyasha muttered.

"Another deed well done," Miroku said quietly, Sango nodding.

"Can we go back to sleep now?" Ed yawned, wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his coat.

"I think that would be better for everyone at this point," Roy chuckled, pointing over at his sister, who, throughout the entire battle, had remained in the middle of the opened entrance of the room they had rested in during their stay at the temple, lying flat on the ground, eyes closed, with her fingers in a ready-to-snap position.

---

"Thank you for allowing us to stay," Miroku said, bowing slightly to the head monk of the temple.

"It was our pleasure," the monk replied. "Thank you for ridding us of the evil spirit that haunted us."

"Don't worry about it," Roy said politely.

"Yeah," Sango said. "It was nothing big really."

"Oh but it was," the head monk said, smiling. "I don't have much I can give you to express my gratitude but I did find this out in the temple courtyard..."

He reached his hand out, and revealed a jewel shard. Ed's golden eyes widened slightly, before he nodded and took it.

"Thanks," he said, trying his best to smile.

---

Ed clenched the fragment in his fist.

"There's not many left at all anymore, is there?" Shippo asked, perched on Miroku's shoulder.

"Only eight if I remember correctly..." the monk answered.

"Yeah... only eight more to go," Sango said.

"& that stupid wolf has two of em," Inuyasha said, taking two fists & punching them together.

"So we'll have to obtain those," Roy said.

"Oh shit..." Jordan muttered.

"What is it?" Ed asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That Kiyoshi kid..." she answered slowly, looking at the ground. "He... he had shards in his legs too..."

Everyone gritted their teeth together.

"Does... anyone remember where his grave is?" Roy asked grimly.

Jordan coughed when no one answered. "There's... only one person in all of Japan... who knows where it would be..." she said quietly.

"& that's the one kid we're looking for, isn't it?"

No reply came, except for a cold, lonely breeze.

---

"Winter's coming..." Caroline muttered, as the wind blew against her.

All around her, the sky was grey. The leaves were crunchy on the ground, & more times than once, she felt pain breathing. She shivered as another breeze blew past. & the worst part was... she felt... alone. Nothing... no one to talk to... only her thoughts kept her company.

'_It's been a little over a year now... & I still feel the same rush, the same fear, the same... confusion whenever I fight. It's like this world has become our second home but... there's been so many times where I've just felt... lost... confused... &..._

_Alone._

_So many things have happened to me in my life that sometimes I feel as if I can't trust anyone... but now... I feel what it's like not to be trusted... hell, I don't even know if I can trust myself, but they... they've given me so many chances._

_I've lied to them._

_I've betrayed them._

_I've even tried to kill them._

_But time & time again... I've been given another chance._

_& so... I need to take those chances. With this anger... this hurt... this sadness & pain inside of me... this... this monster... they're taking a risk even sticking by my side. I could turn on them any moment now, but they're always there._

_& as long as they are..._

_As long as even just one of them is standing beside me..._

_I have to take these risks..._

_Put my life on the line each day..._

_Be willing to die... for whatever goal we've set forth with this jewel..._

_& even though it means I might never open my eyes again..._

_I'm willing to do it..._'

"Gah!"

There was a thud on the ground as Caroline tripped.

Caroline opened one eye painfully.

"Ow..." she muttered, as she brought herself up to her knees, wiping dirt off her elbows. "I have _got_ to be the world's biggest klutz..."

Her eyes flicked to what was in front of her, before widening.

"No way..." she said, ignoring the dust on her, & crawling forward.

She looked around slowly, before smiling sadly.

"This... really is the place then..." she said softly, looking back to the place in front of her. "Kiyoshi-kun, are you okay?"

A soft breeze flew over the tops of the trees.

"I..." she blushed, & looked down. "I miss you too..."

There was silence.

"I really hope you haven't seen me lately..." she said. "I don't... I don't like myself very much anymore."

A stronger breeze blew by, the wind playing with her hair.

"I'm... I'm trying to be stronger," she said, her voice trembling. "I really am." She grinned toothily, tears resting on her lashes, refusing to fall. "Cause I don't think you'd like to see me cry..."

Another silence. Caroline reached into her pocket, & pulled out the jewel as she clasped her hands together.

"Gomen," she said quietly. "I'd prefer holding this while praying... maybe... maybe it'll bring you good luck up there or something..."

Caroline closed her eyes, waiting for an answer or reassurance. Nothing came. No voice in her mind, no wind, nothing. But suddenly, it felt as if a certain knowledge came over her... a feeling.

Caroline followed it. Brown eyes opened shamefully, & she bit her lip as the tears finally rolled down her cheeks. Two hands reached out slowly, & began to dig up the dirt.

"I'm... sorry... Kiyoshi-kun..." she said, her voice quiet but now firm. "I... forgot something..."

To be continued...

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Caroline: lol... teenage love... its so ironic isnt it? & remember... SEVEN REVIEWS. 


	74. Lost & Found

Caroline: NYAH!!! Gomen gomen!!! (bows) I meant to update sooner! I really did but...

my memory stick broke...

so yea... im borrowing my boyfriend's ((THANX JAMES!!!)) so... give props to him please...

& thank you all for your reviews!!! i feel so special...

& now... your long-awaited chapter... SEVENTY FOUR!!!

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Chapter 74: Lost & Found

Laughter woke the girl from her sleep. Large brown eyes opened, & she listened quietly.

"My my... what _perfect_ timing..." Lust commented.

"I know," Abandonment said proudly. "She actually believed it was some sort of message from the dead or something..." She chuckled. "That will keep her mind preoccupied for a while I presume. It's easier to get into a person's mind when they're frightened or sad..."

Kagome squinted, trying to see past the silhouettes of her captors to find what image was in the mirror now. Her eyes widened before lowering sadly.

'That poor thing...' she thought. 'That's gotta be so hard...'

"Heh," Abandonment laughed. "Right now... it's all coming back to her... I made sure of it..."

All laughed darkly as Kagome gritted her teeth in disgust.

---

Caroline's eyes were wide in fright. Time seemed to have stopped completely as she stared down at a pale, decaying body, areas of blood still noticeable.

She heard her heart beating in her chest faster than it should be. She could hear her breathing as well, shaky out of fright. Trembling hands were held to her mouth, & tears of fright, regret, & sadness rolled down her face.

"Ki... kiyoshi..." she whispered, shaking her head, denying that it was actually him.

She took another deep breath, smelling the dirt & blood from Kiyoshi's grave.

That's when her body pulsed.

"No..." she muttered, grabbing her right shoulder as a sharp pain hit her.

At that point, millions of things flashed through her mind. Blood, deadly alchemic arrays, visions of pain, enemies, friends, guardians, those that were gone... all were there.

---

Inuyasha paused suddenly.

"What is it?" Ed asked.

"I... I think..." he sniffed the air once more.

"What?" Sango asked.

"I think... I smell her," Inuyasha said slowly.

"Really?" Jordan asked.

"Yeah... yeah I do!" he said. "It's her without a doubt."

"Which way?" Ed asked, seemingly more energetic.

"The... right!" Inuyasha said, jumping in that direction.

---

Homes being burnt, visions of war, fights between humans & demons, things she had never experienced played through her mind like a film.

'No...' the girl thought, holding hands to her ears tightly, as if trying to escape from the world.

Laughter, fake smiles, lonely nights spent trying to fall asleep.

'No...'

Raining, the drop of a body, a loud scream, that... thing... the Gate, ripping sounds as her arm was pulled from her. Everything playing in her mind was in shades of blood red, white, & black.

'No...'

"Caroline!" Ed said, running up to her, smiling before he realized what was happening.

"_Caroline."_

_Caroline turned around, wide-eyed, a green sweatshirt much too large for the young child falling off her shoulders. She stared for a moment before breaking out into a smile._

"_Daddy!" she exclaimed happily, grabbing her teddy bear, & running after him laughing._

"What's wrong with her?" Ed asked as the others caught up to him.

_As she ran, it was as if years flew by until she had reached her current age. However, now the man was beginning to turn away from her._

"_Otou-san!" she yelled as she jumped & grabbed onto the back of his cloak._

_It was as if everything was in slow motion._

"_Sorry Caroline but..." he began to look over his shoulder, a glint in his eye. "I don't... want a monster for a daughter."_

"Caroline, snap out of it," Jordan pleaded, shaking the girl's shoulder.

_Caroline's eyes widened, confused & frightened, as he turned around to push her back._

_& it was as if she was falling._

_Falling._

_Falling._

_Falling._

"No!" Caroline screamed.

"Caroline!" Jordan repeated. "Snap out of it!"

Her hand touched the tattoo, & she withdrew her hand quickly, not sure of what would happen. However, it broke Caroline away from her mind long enough to open her eyes, pupils dilated in fright. She was breathing hard, & still covering her ears. She finally became aware of the fact that others surrounded her as her eyes flicked to her surroundings. She jumped reflexively, frightened to even be touched or talked to, just as she was when she awoke from nightmares.

"Hey..." Ed said softly, trying to reassure her with a smile. "What happened?"

"I... it felt... I feel so..." she stumbled over words before she finally broke into tears, turning to her brother for comfort.

As he kept his arms around her, he noticed the grave & grimaced, before hugging his baby sister even tighter.

After making many silent motions & signs with the rest of the team, Inuyasha finally stepped forward & took the jewel shards from Kiyoshi's legs. The hanyou walked towards Ed, holding them out so he could give them to Caroline, but Ed waved one hand as a motion for "Later", for the Forsaken Alchemist-his little baby sister-had fallen asleep listening to his heartbeat.

To be continued...

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Caroline: nyah... mushymushy stuff... -- sorry if it was crappy... well... the end is near i believe. & im FOR REAL this time... but... dah... review PLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEAZZZZZZZZ... oh! & do tell me-would yall read the sequel if it was a Fullmetal Alchemist/YuYuHakusho/Inuyasha crossover??? 

cause... thats what im thinkin... & i could make it really good (i hope...)

review enough & i might update-oh maybe...

TOMORROW!!! ;P

so... REViEW!!!


	75. A Vision Of Death

Caroline: dah... sorry... meant to update quicker but i had to make sure this is what i really wanted to post... oh & thanks to yall who reviewed... such loyalty makes me smile upon you all. yes well... the sequel. thanks to yall who reviewed for that... im pretty sure it will be Fullmetla Alchemist/Yu Yu Hakusho/Inuyasha crossover & for those of yall who don't know what Yu Yu is... you should wikipedia/youtube/read it... its AMAZING. as a plus, it also has some really hot guys so... if yall can... please find a summary of it or somethin & then tell me if youll read it... cause... i really plan on making one...

ill write it good i promise.

now my kiddies... read along & review...

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Chapter 75: A Vision Of Death

Black eyes flicked to the corner. At the back of the group was Ed, slowed down by carrying Caroline on his back, but he bore the burden nonetheless.

"Want me to carry her?" Roy asked.

Gold eyes quickly met black.

"Nah, it's okay," Ed said, before flicking his eyes forward once again.

"She's been asleep for a while," Shippo input from the front of the pack. "You think she's sick again?"

Jordan shrugged. "Nah... she just likes to sleep alot... that's all ."

"Maybe she hasn't been getting a lot of sleep lately," Kohaku said, looking over his shoulder.

"I don't think so..." Ed said, before pointing to his sister's right wrist which was draped across his right shoulder. "There's marks from where a chain rubbed on her wrist, & scabs on her knuckles... like she cracked them maybe..." He shrugged. "But then again... I don't think Abandonment's messed with her mind in a while either..."

"You know..." said a voice, stopping all in their tracks. "I can hear every word you're saying about me."

They all turned to find Caroline hiding a smile behind her brother's shoulders-the exact same smile a teacher gets when she catches students talking behind her back. She giggled evilly into the red fabric of what she was resting her head on, as the rest just sighed. Ed grumpily muttered something no one could understand, before letting loose of the girl & dropping her.

"Hey what was that for?!" she yelled angrily in blind rage, as she sat on the ground.

"Carry yourself," Ed yelled back defensively. "Next time, how about you _tell_ me when you've woken up so I can save my back the pain?"

"I was only up for 15 minutes!" Caroline yelled back childishly, blushing in frustration & pouting from trying to hide small pangs of guilt & hurt. "& look at the bright side! Now _my_ feet don't hurt!"

Ed again muttered something incomprehensible, before Caroline thrust out her lower lip, & ran to catch up, the yells of "Niisan! I was just kidding! I love you, niisan!" becoming lost in the distance.

---

Caroline shivered, rubbing her hands against her arms, using friction & trying to create _some_ sort of warmth.

"Man, consider yourself lucky."

Caroline's eyes flicked to the right, where Jordan walked, the two discussing matters at the back of the group. Caroline snickered & grinned evilly.

"You're screwed," she said between wicked giggles, noting the fact that it was almost winter & Jordan was still dressed in a t-shirt. "You should've grabbed a sweatshirt last time we were in Central."

"Yeah well," Jordan sighed, thinking for a few minutes silently. "Hopefully if this works..." she muttered quietly, before shoving Caroline feet off.

Caroline stumbled awkwardly to the left, almost losing her balance, but regaining it quickly. Her eyes shot a glare over to the girl.

"What the sh-" Caroline started, before she shielded her face & closed her eyes.

There was a snap a millisecond after that, & Caroline opened her eyes to find Jordan holding a ball of fire in her hands.

"Much better," she muttered.

Caroline's eyebrows raised.

"Huh?" she asked, a very confused look on her face.

"It actually makes things a whole lot warmer, you know?" Jordan asked. After Caroline responded with nothing more than another blank look, she added "Never mind."

Caroline was about to argue with the fact that she felt like she was being left out like a small child, but stopped, as a certain feeling came over her.

She put her thumb to her lips, as she always did when thinking, & focused her narrowed eyes onto the ground, her ears picking up every little sound, probably a side effect of the new powers bestowed unto her.

"Hey," Jordan said, breaking the girl from her thoughts.

Caroline looked up, & finally noticed the girl was now about 5 feet ahead of her.

"You're walking really slow," she said. "Somethin wrong?"

Caroline's eyes widened, then narrowed once more quickly, before she shook her head, & focused her eyes back on the ground, trying to speed up her footsteps.

"It's nothin," she muttered quietly against her thumb, biting down on it.

Jordan's eyes narrowed. Caroline was acting stranger than the time when they had forgotten to buy the week's worth of Ramen at the store.

"Don't lie," she whispered coldly, before closing her eyes in annoyance & looking forward, trying to think of a way to get the brunette to talk.

She noticed now that they were very much behind from the rest of the group. Now, she could hardly see the symbol on Ed's coat, only a blur of red & yellow. Fog was slowly starting to settle in.

"Come on," Jordan muttered, without looking back, beginning to run to catch up to the rest.

After a moment, she realized she didn't hear any pattering footsteps behind her. She turned around to find Caroline standing there, looking straight at her, lost as could be.

"Caroline," she said, turning around.

Brown eyes just looked straight past her under light brown bangs.

"Caroline, come on."

Nothing.

She was beginning to get worried.

"Caroline," she said, her voice somewhat shaky with concern & anger, both at the same time. "What's wrong?"

She began walking towards the brunette slowly. She reached out to poke the girl before Caroline jumped back quickly, hitting her hand out of the way.

"Don't _touch _me!" Caroline growled.

"What the-" Jordan started, startled from the girl's hostile actions. "Caroline, what's wrong with you?!"

Caroline glared daggers at her.

"Get away from me."

"What?! No! Stop playing around!" Jordan said stubbornly, reaching out to grab the girl's clenched fist.

Caroline reared her fist back, punching her friend in the stomach, turning around, & running.

She stopped several feet off, & the two were in silence. Minutes later, Jordan sat up, wiping blood off her cheek.

"What the _hell _was that for?" she asked, her voice dripping with rightful anger & confusion.

"Leave," Caroline muttered in a voice that wasn't her own.

The wind blew through the trees, & Caroline looked over her shoulder.

"Whatever you do," she said calmly, her face emotionless, though quiet tears fell. "_Don't _come after me."

"Excuse me?" Jordan asked. "We're not just going to-"

"I can't tell you why but…" Caroline said, looking back forward. "There's no way I can be with you any longer. Jordan, if there's a way you can, please tell my brothers that I love them more than anything in the world. & I know it's been tough but through all the tough times I've had with you & Roy…" she gulped "It's been… fun."

It was silent again.

"You're my best friend, Jordan," Caroline said. "Never forget that."

"Caroline…"

The brunette looked over once more, emotionless still. Blue eyes met brown eyes that were newly sprinkled with blood red.

"What did you…what did you see?"

Caroline blinked, turned around, & ran.

---

"I suppose it's safe to say you've either lost your mind or you've found out a particularly interesting new way to further torture our little demon friend…"

Abandonment's manic laugh turned quickly to a soft chuckle as her eyes flicked up to Envy, a mischievous glint in her eye with a devilish smirk to match.

"Both perhaps," she said. "Somehow I've had a vision of the future. I have no clue how or why it appeared, but for the record, it did make a particularly interesting fact on the girl."

Envy paused as Abandonment flashed her teeth.

"Caroline Elric _will_ die."

To be continued…

* * *

Caroline: ooooooooooooooooooooohhhhh dunh dunh duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhh... so...

review.

review.

REVIEW.

((evil chuckle)) or Caroline won't end up the only one dead... ((licks bloody sword))


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